Germany confirms deportations to Italy of "Dublin" asylum seekers

The German government has confirmed its intention to proceed with transfers to Italy of asylum seekers who, under European rules, fall under Italian jurisdiction. This is reported by ANSA, citing statements from the German Interior Ministry.

The regulatory framework dates back to last autumn, when Italy and Germany, together with Greece, reached a bilateral agreement to fully restore the application of the Dublin regulation rules, ahead of the new European asylum system that came into force on June 12, 2026. The first concrete case already has a date: on August 19, the first asylum seeker will be sent back to Italy, a 22-year-old Somali woman who arrived in Germany in March, according to the same news agency.

A spokesperson for the German Interior Ministry commented on the reactions sparked by the news with a statement that reveals a certain distance from the interpretation given in Rome: “We are somewhat surprised by the agitation over the issue and by the divergences with Rome”.

On the Italian side, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani returned to the subject on the sidelines of the commemorations for the anniversary of the Sant’Anna di Stazzema massacre, offering a reading opposite to that of those who see the matter as an open dispute between the two countries: “I don’t believe there is a problem with Germany over the issue of Dublin cases”.

The two statements — that of the German spokesperson and that of the Italian minister — converge in downplaying the extent of the tension, though starting from different premises: Berlin says it is surprised by the agitation, Rome denies that a problem exists. The concrete fact remains that the first transfer is already scheduled, and its execution on August 19 will constitute the first real test of the agreement reached last autumn.

The matter fits into a broader picture of the implementation of the European asylum system that came into force last June 12, which restored the transfer mechanisms provided for by the Dublin regulation among European Union member states. The case of the Somali asylum seeker will be the first public test of how the new rules are actually applied between Germany and Italy.