A spokesperson for the German Interior Ministry stated that the functioning of the Dublin system has no alternative and that they expect transfers to southern EU member states to resume. The decision comes amid new tensions with Spain and ahead of elections in Saxony-Anhalt.
The German government announced on Sunday, August 9, 2026, that it will insist on the strict application of the Dublin rules and the return of migrants to Italy and Greece, citing the new European Union Pact on Migration and Asylum. This decision opens a new chapter in the long-standing disputes among EU member states over the management of migration flows.
A spokesperson for the German Interior Ministry told ANSA that "the functioning of the Dublin system is an indispensable condition for the success of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS)." He added that Berlin "expects that, starting from that date, transfers to Italy and Greece will be carried out again."
Berlin's move has both political and normative dimensions. In Brussels, Chancellor Friedrich Merz's actions are being closely monitored ahead of the elections in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, where the far-right (AfD) enjoys strong support. This is the first in a series of elections that could mark the autumn and campaigns in key member states, Italy, Spain, France, and Poland, all of which go to the polls in 2027.
On the normative side, the European Commission, in its assessment of July 15, found that Italy, since the Pact came into force on June 12, has not implemented the rules on the return of so-called "Dubliners", migrants who, after landing in Italy, moved to another EU member state. The document notes that between June 12 and July 7, eight member states requested the take-back of migrants, and Italy was asked to accept 12 transfers, which Rome refused. The Commission emphasizes that the receiving member state cannot refuse a transfer and must propose an alternative date for its execution.
Interestingly, in the same assessment, the Commission gave a significantly more positive evaluation to Greece and Spain, the other two countries affected by secondary movements of migrants. Berlin further clarified that under bilateral agreements in autumn 2025, Italy and Greece agreed to the reintroduction of the Dublin rules from the entry into force of the new asylum system in June 2026.
Berlin's decision sparked strong reactions on the Italian political scene. Matteo Renzi sharply criticized Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: "Meloni is breaking European solidarity to follow Vannacci's propaganda. The consequence: the Spanish are closing Schengen, and the Germans are sending back migrants who have already left Italy. Why are we harming ourselves?"
Riccardo Magi from the +Europa party added: "Meloni's decision is dismantling the EU and harming Italy." Neither the Italian government nor the European Commission has officially commented on Berlin's latest move, but in Brussels, the situation is being followed with great concern. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen certainly does not want to enter a politically charged autumn with the Union unexpectedly divided already during the summer.
The crisis is further complicated by Spain's closure of Schengen, prompted by pressure in the enclave of Ceuta. According to La Repubblica, the crisis in Ceuta has opened a "Pandora's box" on the immigration file that had been dormant in Europe for months, and the effects are now unpredictable. Italy, meanwhile, has announced the possible lifting of its own border controls for arrivals from Spain on August 15. The entire situation casts new light on the fragility of the European migration system and the growing tensions between countries of first arrival and those that are the final destinations for migrants.
