Germany and Italy are increasingly divided over how Europe should manage migrants arriving through the Mediterranean.
A major point of disagreement is the role of private rescue organizations operating at sea and the responsibility of European countries after migrants are brought ashore. The issue has become part of a wider dispute over how responsibility should be distributed between countries of first entry and other EU member states.
The disagreement comes as European governments prepare for further discussions about the implementation of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact.
For countries located on Europe’s external borders, the continued arrival of migrants can place pressure on reception systems and local authorities. Other governments argue that European migration policy cannot work effectively without stronger controls at the external borders.
The dispute highlights one of the biggest challenges facing the EU: finding a migration system that combines border management, asylum protection and cooperation between member states.
