The recent Italian response to migration: everything must change so that everything can stay the same?

In 2022, more than 100,000 migrants reached Italy, almost a 60% rise compared with the previous year. In response to such a massive increase in the number of arrivals, in 2023, Italy undertook a wealth of initiatives in the field of migration management. On the one side, the Government enacted several decree-laws addressing a wide range of migration-related issues. On the other side, the Prime Minister concluded a bilateral Protocol with Albania to establish two detention centres on Albanian territory, placed under Italian jurisdiction and financed by Italy, for the processing of international protection applications as well as for carrying out return operations for those who do not qualify. This contribution takes stock of the recent developments of the Italian practice related to the control of migration flows, assessing the main initiatives undertaken by the Government in 2023 from an international law standpoint, with a view to verifying if a real shift in Italian migration policy has been enacted. It is submitted that, despite some significant novelty in the practice concerning bilateral cooperation with third States, Italy’s overall approach seems to be characterised by a questionable continuity with the past.