Italy demands Germany pay for 27,000 refugees brought in by German rescue ships

Italy has called on Germany to provide financial compensation, arguing that German private rescue organizations have brought nearly 30,000 refugees into the country through maritime rescue operations.

According to Euronews and other media outlets, Italy's Interior Ministry tallied approximately 22,500 refugees brought to Italian ports by German aid groups operating rescue vessels since Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took office in October 2022. During the same period, about 42,300 migrants entered Italy aboard private rescue ships overall.

The Italian government estimates that when an additional roughly 4,500 people who arrived on vessels from other European countries flying the German flag are included, approximately two-thirds of all refugees who entered Italy through private rescue operations have a German connection.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi called on Germany to share the costs and said Italy would not accept refugees returned by Germany until the issue is resolved.

However, the legal basis for Italy to demand direct financial compensation from the German government over the rescue activities of German private organizations — and whether such a demand can be linked to obligations to readmit refugees — remains unclear.

Meanwhile, the Dublin Regulation, the cornerstone of Europe's refugee regime, requires that the European country where a refugee first arrives be responsible in principle for processing asylum claims. Italy has in effect suspended acceptance of refugees returned by other European countries under the Dublin Regulation since December 2022, citing a shortage of facilities.