The Control of Migration Flows in the Central Mediterranean Sea: Insights from Recent Italian Practice

This contribution addresses some of the different problems may raise from the recent Italian practice related to the control of migration flows by sea. In particular, the closed-ports strategy and the problems connected to the choice to cooperate with third countries in order to stop migration flows arriving by sea are examined. A specific insight is dedicated to the responsibility for failed rescue operations at high sea in light of recent practice. Furthermore, some recent developments are examined in order to verify if a real shift in Italian migration policy has been enacted. Finally, the paper ends with a brief consideration of the cooperation framework that needs to be developed at the EU level in order to improve the management of migration flows arriving by sea to Italy and to other European countries.