EditEU Court ruling dismantles Italy’s Albania migrant camps scheme, posing challenges for Meloni
The decision also raises broader questions about the viability of offshoring asylum procedures within the EU
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) delivered a significant ruling on Friday (1 August), undermining Italy’s controversial policy of offshoring asylum-seekers to detention camps in Albania, a flagship initiative of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s conservative government.
The decision, which questions the legitimacy of Italy’s “safe countries” list used to fast-track asylum claims, not only derails a key component of Meloni’s migration strategy but also raises broader questions about the viability of offshoring asylum procedures within the European Union.
The ECJ ruling: a legal and political blow
The ECJ’s judgment clarifies that while Italy is permitted to designate countries as “safe” for the purpose of expediting asylum rejections, such classifications must adhere to stringent legal standards. Crucially, the court emphasized that applicants and national courts must have access to transparent evidence supporting a country’s “safe” status, and that this designation cannot hold if protections are inadequate for any segment of the population.
This ruling stemmed from a case involving two Bangladeshi nationals whose asylum claims were rejected in Albania based on Italy’s classification of Bangladesh as safe, a decision Italian courts later challenged for lacking sufficient evidence.
The implications are stark. Dario Belluccio, a lawyer representing one of the Bangladeshi asylum-seekers, told Reuters that the ruling effectively dismantles Italy’s Albania scheme, stating, “It will not be possible to continue with what the Italian government had envisioned.”
The decision aligns with earlier Italian court orders to return migrants from Albania to Italy, citing incompatibilities with EU law. With the ECJ now reinforcing these concerns, the legal foundation of the Albania camps appears untenable, leaving the facilities—already empty for months—effectively obsolete.
Impact on Meloni: a political and financial setback
For Prime Minister Meloni, who has staked significant political capital on a hardline stance against illegal immigration, the ruling is a profound setback. The Albania scheme was a cornerstone of her migration policy, presented as an innovative model to deter sea crossings and manage asylum processing externally.
Meloni’s government invested heavily in the initiative, with reports indicating that the Albanian camps cost seven times more than comparable facilities in Italy. This financial burden, coupled with the scheme’s legal unraveling, risks undermining Meloni’s credibility both domestically and within the EU.
The Italian migrant processing facility in Albania consists of two detention centers located in the northern Albanian port of Shëngjin and the nearby inland area of Gjadër. These facilities were designed to house and process asylum-seekers intercepted at sea by Italian authorities, with the goal of fast-tracking asylum claims outside EU territory. The Shëngjin center serves as the initial reception point, where migrants are screened and registered upon arrival, while the Gjadër facility, a repurposed former military base, is equipped to detain up to 3,000 individuals at a time during the processing of their asylum applications. Both centers are operated under Italian jurisdiction, staffed by Italian personnel, including security forces, and are equipped with basic amenities such as sleeping quarters, medical facilities, and administrative offices to handle asylum procedures.
Meloni’s office responded with sharp criticism, calling the ruling “surprising” and warning that it represents judicial overreach by allowing national judges to influence migration policy. The statement argued that the decision “weakens policies to combat mass illegal immigration” and “further reduc[es] the already limited” authority of elected governments.
This rhetoric reflects Meloni’s frustration, as the ruling not only halts her flagship project but also constrains her ability to shape migration policy independently. Domestically, this could embolden opposition voices and fuel criticism from her right-wing base, who may view the failure as a betrayal of her tough-on-migration promises.
However, Meloni’s broader migration strategy has shown some success. Data indicates that undocumented migrant arrivals by sea dropped significantly from 89,165 in the first seven months of 2023 to 36,557 in the same period of 2025, though this is a slight increase from 2024.
While these figures suggest progress in curbing arrivals, the Albania scheme’s failure could overshadow these achievements, particularly if public and political focus shifts to the costly and now-defunct camps.
Broader implications for the EU: offshoring under scrutiny
The ECJ’s ruling carries significant implications for the EU’s exploration of offshoring asylum procedures. Several member states had eyed Italy’s Albania model as a potential blueprint for managing migration flows, particularly in light of rising political pressures to address irregular immigration.
The court’s insistence on transparency, evidence-based “safe country” designations, and protections for all population groups sets a high bar for any future offshoring initiatives. This could deter other EU countries from pursuing similar schemes, as the legal risks and complexities of complying with EU law become more apparent.
The decision also highlights tensions between national sovereignty and EU judicial oversight. Meloni’s claim of judicial overreach resonates with a broader debate within the EU about the balance between member states’ autonomy in migration policy and the need for uniform adherence to EU legal standards. This ruling may embolden national courts to challenge similar policies, potentially complicating efforts to harmonize asylum procedures across the bloc.
Furthermore, the ruling underscores the practical challenges of offshoring. The Albania scheme’s failure – marked by empty facilities and high costs – serves as a cautionary tale for other EU states considering external processing centers. It raises questions about the feasibility of such models, particularly when weighed against the financial, logistical, and legal hurdles they entail.
With Reuters, edited by g.g.
Officers inspect the detention center as a group of migrants who were rescued over the weekend in international waters south of Lampedusa, arrive at the port of Shengjin, Albania, 28 January 2025. Under the Italy-Albania deal, Italy has sent a group of 49 migrants to reception centers in Albania in a plan aimed at deterring sea crossings by processing asylum claims outside the European Union (EU). EPA/MALTON DIBRA
Updated: August 2, 2025 - 06:17
