Italy's plan to process asylum seekers in Albania has been significantly hampered by a European Court of Justice ruling. The court determined that Italy's definition of a "safe country" for returning rejected asylum seekers violates EU law, requiring a revision of its procedure. The ruling states that a country can only be deemed "safe" if its entire population enjoys effective protection, a condition not met by Albania or other countries initially designated as such by Italy. The Italian government reacted angrily, claiming the court overstepped its authority. This decision impacts other countries considering similar offshore processing initiatives, notably the UK, and jeopardizes Italy's central immigration policy.

Prepared by Rachel Morgan and reviewed by editorial team.