Netherlands and Italy Sign Migration Deal to Tighten EU Border Control and Speed Up Returns
The Hague, 3 June 2026
The Netherlands and Italy have signed a formal declaration to deepen cooperation on migration, targeting people-smuggling networks in Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, and fast-tracking asylum returns.
A Declaration With Real Consequences
On Wednesday, 3 June 2026, Dutch Minister of Asylum and Migration Bart van den Brink and Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi signed a formal declaration of intent, committing both countries to intensifying cooperation on migration management [1]. The agreement covers three interconnected areas: implementing the EU Asylum and Migration Pact, accelerating the return of asylum seekers to their first country of entry within the EU, and combating people-smuggling networks operating out of North Africa — specifically Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya [1]. In plain terms: the Netherlands and Italy are now formally aligned on making it harder to reach Europe irregularly, and faster to send people back once they arrive.
Italy as Europe’s Front Door — and Why That Matters to the Netherlands
Italy’s geographic position makes it one of the primary entry points into the European Union for people crossing the Mediterranean [GPT]. Under EU rules — specifically the Dublin Regulation — the country where an asylum seeker first enters the EU is generally responsible for processing their claim [GPT]. In practice, this system has long been a source of tension between southern EU member states such as Italy and northern ones such as the Netherlands, because many people who first land in Italy subsequently travel onward to countries like the Netherlands to lodge their asylum claim there [GPT]. Minister Van den Brink addressed this directly, stating: “Cooperation with Italy is crucial for the Netherlands to gain more control over migration. Italy plays a key role, because it manages an important part of the European external border and has close relations with countries in North Africa” [1]. The deal signed on 3 June 2026 is therefore not merely symbolic — it is a mechanism designed to close that gap.
What the EU Asylum and Migration Pact Changes
The agreement explicitly references the EU Asylum and Migration Pact, including the Return Regulation, which was finalised during the week of 3 June 2026 [1]. Under the renewed framework, the Netherlands and Italy have agreed to resume operational cooperation so that asylum applications first lodged in Italy are processed and completed in Italy [1]. Minister Van den Brink described this as “crucial for the Netherlands to allow the pact to function fully” [1]. This is a significant shift: it means that if someone first registered in Italy and later arrived in the Netherlands, the Dutch authorities will work with Italian counterparts to ensure that person’s case is handled by Italy — not the Netherlands. Beyond EU borders, both governments have also agreed to work more closely with North African countries to combat smuggling networks, reduce the flow of arrivals, and promote returns [1]. The declaration specifically names the concept of “return hubs” — processing or holding facilities located outside the EU — as an innovative solution both countries intend to operationalise together [alert! ‘The operational details, legal framework, and locations of proposed return hubs are not specified in the source material’].
What This Means If You Are Waiting in an AZC Right Now
For asylum seekers currently living in COA reception centres (AZCs) in the Netherlands, this agreement does not change existing IND procedures overnight [GPT]. However, understanding the direction of travel matters. The cause-and-effect chain is relatively straightforward: the Netherlands and Italy are tightening coordination → asylum claims first made in Italy will increasingly be sent back to Italy for processing → Dublin transfers from the Netherlands to Italy are likely to become more frequent and more efficiently enforced [1][GPT]. If your asylum file shows that Italy was your first point of entry into the EU, this agreement increases the likelihood that the Dutch authorities will pursue a transfer of your case to Italy. Additionally, the focus on faster returns to non-EU countries of origin — particularly those transiting through Algeria, Tunisia, or Libya — signals that return policies will be applied more swiftly and with greater international support [1]. The broader message from The Hague is clear: the Dutch government is actively using bilateral agreements, alongside the new EU Pact, to reduce both arrivals and the number of cases processed on Dutch soil. While no individual’s case changes because of a single declaration, the policy environment surrounding asylum decisions is tightening, and that context matters when navigating the IND process.