Italy’s cabinet has approved legislation authorizing naval blockades to halt migrant boats during periods of “exceptional pressure” at the country’s borders whilst the European Parliament green-lit changes to EU asylum rules, as 606 people attempting to reach Europe have been reported dead or missing in the Mediterranean over the last two months.
The policy changes come as the International Organisation for Migration confirmed the death toll marks the “deadliest start to a year in the Mediterranean since IOM began recording such data in 2014.” The number includes more than 30 people feared dead or missing after their boat capsized off the coast of Greece in severe weather over the weekend.
Bishops in Calabria and Sicily, where the bodies of 15 people believed to be migrants washed up on beaches during the past week according to The Guardian, stated the drownings were consequences of “inhumane political choices” rather than isolated tragedies. The religious leaders’ criticism directly challenges the policy approach taken by Italian and European authorities.
The European Parliament approved amendments to the Asylum Procedures Regulation introducing a list of countries deemed “safe” to which failed asylum seekers could be returned. The list includes countries such as Egypt and Tunisia whose human rights records have come under scrutiny.
Under the new rules, EU countries may reject an asylum application if the person could have received protection in a country the bloc considers safe. The changes respond to pressure from member states including Italy for a tougher approach to migration.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has moved to speed up repatriations of unsuccessful asylum seekers and introduced stiffer jail terms for human smugglers since taking office in 2022 in a bid to stem sea crossings. The naval blockade authorization represents an escalation of Italy’s enforcement posture.
The boat that capsized off Greece over the weekend had departed from Tobruk, Libya on February 19 and overturned about 20 nautical miles south of Kali Limenes, Crete. Authorities rescued 20 people who were onboard, including four minors, whilst recovering the bodies of three men and one woman.
The IOM has called for an increase in search and rescue efforts in the Central Mediterranean to “save lives and ensure safe disembarkation.” The UN agency warned that trafficking and smuggling networks “continue to exploit migrants” travelling in the waters in “unseaworthy boats.”
The organisation stated: “Stronger international cooperation and protection-centred responses are key to tackling these criminal networks and expanding safe and regular pathways to reduce risks and save lives.”
Millions of refugees have entered Europe since 2015, prompting the tightening of policies from national governments that culminated in this month’s EU asylum rule changes and Italy’s naval blockade authorization. The policy shift prioritizes border control and deportations whilst death tolls in the Mediterranean reach levels not seen in over a decade.
The bodies washing up on Italian beaches during the past week provide visible evidence of the human cost as policy hardens across Europe. The bishops’ characterization of drownings as results of political choices rather than tragedies frames the deaths as preventable consequences of enforcement approaches.
The new EU safe country list enables faster deportations whilst raising human rights concerns given the records of nations like Egypt and Tunisia now designated as safe destinations. Whether this designation withstands legal challenges remains to be seen as the policy is implemented.
Italy’s naval blockade authority creates potential for direct confrontation with migrant boats at sea during periods officials deem exceptional pressure. How authorities define these periods and exercise blockade powers will determine the policy’s practical impact and potential for further controversy.
The IOM’s call for increased search and rescue operations contrasts sharply with the enforcement-focused policy direction taken by Italy and the EU. Whether European governments respond to the deadliest start to a year since 2014 by expanding rescue capabilities or intensifying interdiction efforts will shape Mediterranean migration dynamics throughout 2026.
