How many migrants has Austria returned to Italy so far?

According to the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, four people have been transferred since June 12, 2026.

How are migrant transfers from Austria carried out?

Transfers are carried out by bus and train, as part of the possibilities provided by the new EU Asylum Pact.

Which other countries have announced the application of the new pact?

Germany and Switzerland had already announced that they would apply the new rules for returning migrants to Italy.

Does the procedure also apply to individuals who arrived in Austria before June 12?

The Austrian ministry has not yet specified whether the procedure applies only to those who arrived after June 12 or also to earlier asylum seekers.

World

Austria Begins Returning Migrants to Italy: 4 Transfers Since June 12

B.C. · Prije 16h | 2 min

Following Germany and Switzerland, Vienna has started applying the new EU Migration and Asylum Pact, with transfers carried out via public transport.

Summary

Austria has begun returning migrants to Italy under the new EU Asylum Pact.
Since June 12, 2026, four transfers of asylum seekers have been carried out.
Transfers are conducted via public transport, by bus and train.
Germany and Switzerland had already announced the application of the same rules.

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Austria has begun returning asylum seekers to Italy under the new EU Migration and Asylum Pact, which came into force on June 12, 2026. As reported by La Repubblica, Vienna has so far carried out four transfers of migrants to Italy, following the example set by Germany and Switzerland, which had already announced the application of the new rules.

Public Transport Instead of Special Vehicles

According to information from the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, the transfers were carried out by bus and train, under the new provisions introduced by the EU Migration and Asylum Pact (Geas). The ministry, as reported by the Lapresse agency, stated that "with the Asylum Pact, there is now the possibility for an authority to provide a foreign national with a train or bus ticket."

According to reports from Vienna, "since June 12, 2026, four individuals have been transferred to Italy in this manner." The ministry has not yet disclosed how many people in total could be affected by future transfers, nor has it clarified whether the procedure applies exclusively to those who arrived after June 12 or also to those who were already in Austria before that date.

The news was also confirmed by the Austrian agency Apa, which reports that four asylum seekers have already been returned to Italy, with Vienna's decision based on the new migration pact in effect since June 12. The Italian government, according to ANSA, has not yet commented on this decision.

A Precedent for All of Europe

Austria's move represents a precedent that could have implications for the entire European Union. The Migration and Asylum Pact, which came into force in mid-June, is a common European framework that also applies to Croatia, meaning similar procedures could become standard practice in other member states.