Francesco Luigi Gatta | UCLouvain (University of Louvain) (original) (raw)

Papers by Francesco Luigi Gatta

Research paper thumbnail of The EU’s response to Covid-19 between sovereignty, public health and fundamental rights: Some remarks on the functioning of the Schengen area and the Common European Asylum System

European Journal of Human Rights, 2020

This paper examines the European Union’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the ... more This paper examines the European Union’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the common systems of asylum and migration governance while questioning the delicate balance between sovereignties, public health needs and migrants fundamental rights. If public health reasons provide a legal justification for the measures taken, the measures introduced by the EU Member States also produced various side effects. On the one hand, the multiplic- ity and variety of unilateral national reactions contributed to the already fragmented and flawed implementation of the Schengen and the Dublin frameworks. On the other hand, some of those measures significantly affected fundamental rights of migrants, including asylum seekers. Responding to these findings will require, in the short term, a strict control of fundamental rights by the Courts and, in the long term, a reconstruction of the common policies both on the free movement of persons and on asylum and migration.

Research paper thumbnail of The EU Action Plan for the Central Mediterranean: Everybody knows that the boat is leaking - EU Immigration and Asylum Law and Policy

EU Immigration & Asylum Law and Policy, 2023

UCLouvain (Belgium), members of the Equipe droits et migrations (EDEM) While the New Pact on Migr... more UCLouvain (Belgium), members of the Equipe droits et migrations (EDEM) While the New Pact on Migration and Asylum remains stuck in Brussels between negotiations and renewals of the Council's presidencies, 'emergencies' routinely shaken the EU migration and asylum governance and prompt a plethora of soft law solutions. These acts have been mushrooming in the last few years. The most recent example is the EU Action Plan for the Central Mediterranean, presented on 21 November 2022 by the Commissioner for Home Affairs and later endorsed by the extraordinary JHA Council on 25 November 2022. It lists 20 actions 'to address the immediate and ongoing challenges along the Central Mediterranean route'.

Research paper thumbnail of La crisi afghana bussa alle porte dell’Europa: gli Stati membri preparano le barricate?

ADiM Blog, 2021

Una breve analisi delle reazioni dell'Unione europea e degli Stati membri di fronte alla recente ... more Una breve analisi delle reazioni dell'Unione europea e degli Stati membri di fronte alla recente crisi umanitario-migratoria in Afghanistan.

Research paper thumbnail of Between Rule of Law and Reputation. Frontex's withdrawal from Hungary.

Verfassungsblog, 2021

On 27 January 2021, Frontex announced the unprecedented decision to suspend its activities in Hun... more On 27 January 2021, Frontex announced the unprecedented decision to suspend its activities in Hungary. The choice to withdraw the Agency from Hungary is not a clear, serious, and meditated move in the Commission’s action for the rule of law. Nor is it a sign of a coherent and firm intention to put an end to the Agency’s engagement in human rights violations at EU borders, since it keeps operating in other frontline Member States with equally problematic issues. It rather represents an attempt to remedy the already compromised reputation of Frontex.

Research paper thumbnail of Equo processo e espulsione dello straniero (regolare). La Grande Camera di Strasburgo delinea i diritti di trasparenza procedurale

ADiM Blog, 2020

In Muhammad e Muhammad c. Romania la Corte Edu riscontra, per la prima volta nella formazione giu... more In Muhammad e Muhammad c. Romania la Corte Edu riscontra, per la prima volta nella formazione giudicante di Grande Camera, una violazione dell’art. 1, Protocollo 7 CEDU, relativo alle garanzie procedurali nel caso di espulsione dello straniero in posizione regolare. L’allontanamento da parte della Romania di due studenti Pakistani, sospettati di partecipazione in attività terroristiche, è giudicato non compatibile con la Convenzione, in quanto effettuato in violazione delle garanzie procedurali minime per l’esercizio del diritto di difesa. I ricorrenti, infatti, non avevano avuto modo di conoscere con precisione le ragioni alla base della loro espulsione, non avendo potuto avere accesso a rilevanti informazioni contenute in documenti considerati confidenziali per motivi di sicurezza nazionale.

Research paper thumbnail of Systematic push back of ‘well behaving’ asylum seekers at the Polish border: M.K. and Others v. Poland

Strasbourg Observers, 2020

In the case M.K. and Others v. Poland the ECtHR deals with the removal of certain Russian familie... more In the case M.K. and Others v. Poland the ECtHR deals with the removal of certain Russian families to Belarus, after they had repeatedly and unsuccessfully tried to lodge asylum applications at the Polish border. With an encouraging decision, the Court found – unanimously – multiple violations of the Convention, unmasking a wide State practice of systematic push back of asylum seekers at the borders between Poland and Belarus.

Research paper thumbnail of What could the Global Compact on Migration mean for Europe?

HET MIGRATIEPACT: KRONIEK VAN EEN CRISIS, 2020

The GCM’s potential depends on recent developments in the material and institutional frameworks o... more The GCM’s potential depends on recent developments in the material and institutional frameworks of the European Union which have been deeply influenced by the migration crises. The paper examines the tensions between human rights and State sovereignty through relevant case law from the European Courts of Luxembourg and Strasbourg (1); light is shed on new migration governance methods, such as policies and non- legal instruments deployed by the EU and its Member States, as opposed to traditional law making (2); the interplay between unilateral, bilateral and multilateral cooperation in migration matters is addressed (3).

Research paper thumbnail of Diritti umani e stato di diritto alle frontiere: lo “scontro” tra le corti europee sul trattenimento dei migranti nelle zone di transito

Osservatorio Costituzionale - AIC, 2020

Commento e analisi delle sentenze delle Grandi Camere delle due Corti europee sul trattenimento d... more Commento e analisi delle sentenze delle Grandi Camere delle due Corti europee sul trattenimento dei richiedenti asilo nelle zone di transito al confine serbo-ungherese.
Corte Edu (Grande Camera), sentenza del 21 novembre 2019, Ilias e Ahmed c. Ungheria, ric. n. 47287/15 e Corte di Giustizia (Grande Sezione), sentenza del 14 maggio 2020, cause riunite C-924/19 PPU e C-925/19 PPU, FMS e altri

Research paper thumbnail of Caselaw commentary of CJEU, judgement of 2 April 2020, joined cases C-715/17, C-718/17 and C-719/17: Rebel rebel, how could they know? The boundless imagination of Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic in opposing the relocation mechanism

Cahier de l'EDEM, 2020

In the case Commission v. Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, the Court of Justice of the EU,... more In the case Commission v. Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, the Court of Justice of the EU, upholding the actions for failure to fulfill obligations brought by the European Commission, ruled that the defendant States breached EU law by failing to comply with the relocation decisions adopted in 2015 by the Council. The Court rejects the States’ argumentation as to the need to safeguard their national order and security, adduced as justification for not relocating asylum seekers, and confirms that solidarity is a legally binding obligation. It also does not accept the alleged existence of malfunctioning and flaws of the relocation mechanism as a valid reason not to cooperate and show solidarity: it is exactly when obstacles and difficulties arise that solidarity and a sincere, genuine spirit of cooperation are most needed.

Research paper thumbnail of Caselaw commentary of the European Court of Human Rights, Decision on adimissibility of 5 May 2020, M N and others v. Belgium: Humanitarian visa: does the suspended step of the stork become a hunting permit?

Cahier de l'EDEM, 2020

The European Court of Human Rights declared the case M.N. and others v. Belgium inadmissible by e... more The European Court of Human Rights declared the case M.N. and others v. Belgium inadmissible by excluding that Belgium exercised extraterritorial jurisdiction over a family of Syrians requesting humanitarian visas from the Belgian embassy in Beirut. With its assessment as to jurisdiction, the Court insists upon keeping the status quo of access to asylum procedures.

Research paper thumbnail of Social media and applications to the ECtHR: connecting people in the name of human rights?

Strasbourgobservers, 2020

How does the European Court of Human Rights deal with social media? Is Facebook a toll that may b... more How does the European Court of Human Rights deal with social media? Is Facebook a toll that may be used for the protection of human rights?

Research paper thumbnail of “Tell me your story, but hurry up because I have to expel you” – Asady and Others v. Slovakia: how to (quickly) conduct individual interviews and (not) apply the ND & NT “own culpable conduct” test to collective expulsions

Strasbourg Observers, 2020

The ECtHR's judgment in Asady and Others v. Slovakia is relevant for two reasons. First, it provi... more The ECtHR's judgment in Asady and Others v. Slovakia is relevant for two reasons. First, it provides some (worrying) clarifications regarding the individualised examination of an alien prior to the expulsion, focusing on the conditions of the individual interview. Second, coming shortly after the Grand Chamber’s ruling in ND and NT v. Spain, it gave the Court an opportunity to reflect on the applicability of the exception of the “own culpable conduct” developed therein and to measure its impact on a case of collective expulsion at land borders

Research paper thumbnail of Recenti sviluppi nelle politiche di controllo migratorio in Europa

Eurojus.it, 2020

L’articolo illustra ed analizza i recenti sviluppi in materia di espulsioni collettive e respingi... more L’articolo illustra ed analizza i recenti sviluppi in materia di espulsioni collettive e respingimenti di migranti in tre contesti geografici dell’Unione europea: la frontiera terrestre tra Spagna e Marocco; il canale marittimo che dalla Libia conduce all’Italia lungo la c.d. rotta del Mediterraneo centrale; il confine greco-turco, teatro delle recenti tensioni tra Turchia e Unione europea sul rispetto della Dichiarazione del 2016 sul controllo e la gestione dei flussi migratori. Nei primi due contesti la prospettiva di analisi adottata è quella del Consiglio d’Europa, con particolare riguardo ai recenti interventi del Commissario per i diritti umani in riferimento al Memorandum tra Italia e Libia, e della Corte di Strasburgo con la sentenza nel caso N.D. e N.T. c. Spagna. Nel terzo contesto, si prendono in esame le reazioni e le contromisure dell’Unione europea e della Grecia per far fronte alla crescente pressione migratoria dovuta ai flussi provenienti dalla Turchia.

Research paper thumbnail of Politiche migratorie respingenti e controllo rafforzato delle frontiere: l’impatto sui diritti umani della gestione della crisi dei rifugiati nella giurisprudenza della Corte europea dei diritti dell’uomo

Ordine Internazionale e Diritti Umani, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of The Malta Declaration on Search & Rescue, disembarkation and relocation: Much Ado about Nothing

EU Immigration and Asylum Law and Policy, 2020

The Malta declaration confirms and even reinforces a trend towards informal solutions, agreed out... more The Malta declaration confirms and even reinforces a trend towards informal solutions, agreed outside the EU legal and procedural framework, which has been alarmingly common in the last years’ decision-making process on asylum and migration matters. Without a proper framework for implementation, elaborated in the context of a legitimate, transparent and EU-driven decision-making process, the Malta declaration is destined to belong to the already long list of EU (in)actions that are running countless in the history of European legal answers towards migrant dignity-seeking journeys in the Mediterranean.

Research paper thumbnail of Diritti al confine e il confine dei diritti: La Corte Edu si esprime sulle politiche di controllo frontaliero dell’Ungheria (Parte II – Detenzione e Art. 5 CEDU)

ADiM Blog, 2020

Nel caso Ilias e Ahmed c. Ungheria la Grande Camera della Corte Edu si pronuncia sul tratteniment... more Nel caso Ilias e Ahmed c. Ungheria la Grande Camera della Corte Edu si pronuncia sul trattenimento di due richiedenti asilo presso una zona di transito al confine serbo-ungherese e sulla loro successiva espulsione in Serbia. La vicenda fornisce alla Corte di Strasburgo l'occasione di affrontare l'inedita questione dell'inquadramento giuridico del trattenimento di un richiedente asilo presso una zona di transito in pendenza dell'esame della propria domanda di protezione internazionale. Alla luce di tutte le circostanze del caso, i giudici concludono per la non applicabilità dell'art. 5 CEDU al caso di specie in quanto la permanenza dei ricorrenti nella zona di transito non integra una privazione della loro libertà personale.

Research paper thumbnail of MIGRATION AND THE RULE OF (HUMAN RIGHTS) LAW: TWO 'CRISES' LOOKING IN THE SAME MIRROR

Croatian Yearbook of European Law & Policy, 2019

This article will attempt to demonstrate the interrelationship between two 'crises' that the Euro... more This article will attempt to demonstrate the interrelationship between two 'crises' that the European Union is facing: the so-called 'migration' or 'refugee crisis' and the crisis of the principle of the rule of law. In particular, the two crises fi nd their point of connection in the responses to migratory fl ows put in place by the EU and some of its Member States. The increasing migratory pressure on European external borders has induced some governments to adopt a restrictive and security-driven approach, carried out, on the one hand, by reinforcing border controls and surveillance, and, on the other, by seeking the cooperation of non-EU countries in order to curb migratory fl ows, contain departures, and tackle the movements of migrants towards Europe. These 'securitisation' and 'externalisation' strategies are in contrast with the principle of the rule of law under two perspectives: on the one hand, they violate some of its essential components, such as transparency, legal and procedural certainty, democratic participation , and control; on the other, they breach the same principle in-sofar as they lead to severe human rights violations. As for the fi rst aspect, migration and border control policies have been put in place by frontline States through a growing proliferation of atypical, informal , and non-transparent measures of migration governance, which, sounding 'legal' without actually being so, allow legislative, procedural and democratic frames to be avoided. Examples in this sense may be identifi ed in the so-called EU-Turkey Statement or in the informal , over-simplifi ed cooperation arrangements concluded by some EU frontline Member States with African countries, as in the case of Italy and Niger. As for the second aspect, the impact on the rule of (human rights) law of the response of some EU Member States to the migration crisis may be measured through the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and, more specifi cally, by considering the decisions concerning the most severe violations of migrants' rights, including those of the prohibitions of refoulement and of collective expulsion, as well as cases of illegal detention and deprivation of liberty.

Research paper thumbnail of The trilateral cooperation between the African Union, the European Union and the United Nations on migration and Libya: a successful example of collaboration?

Federalismi. it, Focus Africa, 11 December 2019, Dec 11, 2019

The paper intends to examine the international response to the humanitarian and human rights cris... more The paper intends to examine the international response to the humanitarian and human rights crises in Libya. It focuses, in particular, on the trilateral cooperation between the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) put in place in order to deal with the issue of Libyan detention centres for migrants.

Research paper thumbnail of Diritti al confine e il confine dei diritti: La Corte Edu si esprime sulle politiche di controllo frontaliero dell’Ungheria (Parte I – espulsione e Art. 3 CEDU)

ADiM Blog, 2019

Nel caso Ilias e Ahmed c. Ungheria la Grande Camera della Corte Edu si pronuncia sul tratteniment... more Nel caso Ilias e Ahmed c. Ungheria la Grande Camera della Corte Edu si pronuncia sul trattenimento di due richiedenti asilo presso una zona di transito al confine serbo-ungherese e sulla loro successiva espulsione in Serbia, considerata come "paese terzo sicuro". La Corte, in particolare, nel valutare i profili di rischio in termini di refoulement, fornisce interessanti chiarimenti circa gli obblighi dello Stato in caso di espulsione dello straniero verso un paese terzo designato come sicuro. Il caso, inoltre, consente alla Grande Camera di affrontare l'inedita questione dell'inquadramento giuridico del trattenimento di un richiedente asilo presso una zona di transito al confine tra due Stati in pendenza dell'esame della propria domanda di protezione internazionale.

Research paper thumbnail of L'Europa, i muri e la CEDU quale "Magna Carta" del continente europeo

Il 9 novembre 2019 si è celebrato il 30° anniversario della caduta del muro di Berlino, evento ep... more Il 9 novembre 2019 si è celebrato il 30° anniversario della caduta del muro di Berlino, evento epocale e punto di svolta nella storia europea e non solo. In Europa rimangono però ancora oggi altri muri, eretti per separare gli uomini gli uni dagli altri. Questi “muri” si pongono soprattutto nei confronti dei diritti fondamentali dello straniero, rendendoli ancora troppo spesso oggetto di gravi violazioni da parte degli Stati. Testimonianza di ciò si rinviene nella recente attività della Corte europea dei diritti dell’uomo, particolarmente intensa in materia d’immigrazione nel mese di novembre, con una serie di significative decisioni a cui è dedicato l’editoriale del Blog dell’Accademia di diritto e migrazioni (ADiM). La casistica mette in luce, in particolare, la difficoltà della Corte di Strasburgo nell’operare un non facile bilanciamento tra le contrapposte esigenze di tutela dei diritti fondamentali della persona da una parte, e quelle di sicurezza interna e di controllo dei confini da parte degli Stati dall’altra.

Research paper thumbnail of The EU’s response to Covid-19 between sovereignty, public health and fundamental rights: Some remarks on the functioning of the Schengen area and the Common European Asylum System

European Journal of Human Rights, 2020

This paper examines the European Union’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the ... more This paper examines the European Union’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the common systems of asylum and migration governance while questioning the delicate balance between sovereignties, public health needs and migrants fundamental rights. If public health reasons provide a legal justification for the measures taken, the measures introduced by the EU Member States also produced various side effects. On the one hand, the multiplic- ity and variety of unilateral national reactions contributed to the already fragmented and flawed implementation of the Schengen and the Dublin frameworks. On the other hand, some of those measures significantly affected fundamental rights of migrants, including asylum seekers. Responding to these findings will require, in the short term, a strict control of fundamental rights by the Courts and, in the long term, a reconstruction of the common policies both on the free movement of persons and on asylum and migration.

Research paper thumbnail of The EU Action Plan for the Central Mediterranean: Everybody knows that the boat is leaking - EU Immigration and Asylum Law and Policy

EU Immigration & Asylum Law and Policy, 2023

UCLouvain (Belgium), members of the Equipe droits et migrations (EDEM) While the New Pact on Migr... more UCLouvain (Belgium), members of the Equipe droits et migrations (EDEM) While the New Pact on Migration and Asylum remains stuck in Brussels between negotiations and renewals of the Council's presidencies, 'emergencies' routinely shaken the EU migration and asylum governance and prompt a plethora of soft law solutions. These acts have been mushrooming in the last few years. The most recent example is the EU Action Plan for the Central Mediterranean, presented on 21 November 2022 by the Commissioner for Home Affairs and later endorsed by the extraordinary JHA Council on 25 November 2022. It lists 20 actions 'to address the immediate and ongoing challenges along the Central Mediterranean route'.

Research paper thumbnail of La crisi afghana bussa alle porte dell’Europa: gli Stati membri preparano le barricate?

ADiM Blog, 2021

Una breve analisi delle reazioni dell'Unione europea e degli Stati membri di fronte alla recente ... more Una breve analisi delle reazioni dell'Unione europea e degli Stati membri di fronte alla recente crisi umanitario-migratoria in Afghanistan.

Research paper thumbnail of Between Rule of Law and Reputation. Frontex's withdrawal from Hungary.

Verfassungsblog, 2021

On 27 January 2021, Frontex announced the unprecedented decision to suspend its activities in Hun... more On 27 January 2021, Frontex announced the unprecedented decision to suspend its activities in Hungary. The choice to withdraw the Agency from Hungary is not a clear, serious, and meditated move in the Commission’s action for the rule of law. Nor is it a sign of a coherent and firm intention to put an end to the Agency’s engagement in human rights violations at EU borders, since it keeps operating in other frontline Member States with equally problematic issues. It rather represents an attempt to remedy the already compromised reputation of Frontex.

Research paper thumbnail of Equo processo e espulsione dello straniero (regolare). La Grande Camera di Strasburgo delinea i diritti di trasparenza procedurale

ADiM Blog, 2020

In Muhammad e Muhammad c. Romania la Corte Edu riscontra, per la prima volta nella formazione giu... more In Muhammad e Muhammad c. Romania la Corte Edu riscontra, per la prima volta nella formazione giudicante di Grande Camera, una violazione dell’art. 1, Protocollo 7 CEDU, relativo alle garanzie procedurali nel caso di espulsione dello straniero in posizione regolare. L’allontanamento da parte della Romania di due studenti Pakistani, sospettati di partecipazione in attività terroristiche, è giudicato non compatibile con la Convenzione, in quanto effettuato in violazione delle garanzie procedurali minime per l’esercizio del diritto di difesa. I ricorrenti, infatti, non avevano avuto modo di conoscere con precisione le ragioni alla base della loro espulsione, non avendo potuto avere accesso a rilevanti informazioni contenute in documenti considerati confidenziali per motivi di sicurezza nazionale.

Research paper thumbnail of Systematic push back of ‘well behaving’ asylum seekers at the Polish border: M.K. and Others v. Poland

Strasbourg Observers, 2020

In the case M.K. and Others v. Poland the ECtHR deals with the removal of certain Russian familie... more In the case M.K. and Others v. Poland the ECtHR deals with the removal of certain Russian families to Belarus, after they had repeatedly and unsuccessfully tried to lodge asylum applications at the Polish border. With an encouraging decision, the Court found – unanimously – multiple violations of the Convention, unmasking a wide State practice of systematic push back of asylum seekers at the borders between Poland and Belarus.

Research paper thumbnail of What could the Global Compact on Migration mean for Europe?

HET MIGRATIEPACT: KRONIEK VAN EEN CRISIS, 2020

The GCM’s potential depends on recent developments in the material and institutional frameworks o... more The GCM’s potential depends on recent developments in the material and institutional frameworks of the European Union which have been deeply influenced by the migration crises. The paper examines the tensions between human rights and State sovereignty through relevant case law from the European Courts of Luxembourg and Strasbourg (1); light is shed on new migration governance methods, such as policies and non- legal instruments deployed by the EU and its Member States, as opposed to traditional law making (2); the interplay between unilateral, bilateral and multilateral cooperation in migration matters is addressed (3).

Research paper thumbnail of Diritti umani e stato di diritto alle frontiere: lo “scontro” tra le corti europee sul trattenimento dei migranti nelle zone di transito

Osservatorio Costituzionale - AIC, 2020

Commento e analisi delle sentenze delle Grandi Camere delle due Corti europee sul trattenimento d... more Commento e analisi delle sentenze delle Grandi Camere delle due Corti europee sul trattenimento dei richiedenti asilo nelle zone di transito al confine serbo-ungherese.
Corte Edu (Grande Camera), sentenza del 21 novembre 2019, Ilias e Ahmed c. Ungheria, ric. n. 47287/15 e Corte di Giustizia (Grande Sezione), sentenza del 14 maggio 2020, cause riunite C-924/19 PPU e C-925/19 PPU, FMS e altri

Research paper thumbnail of Caselaw commentary of CJEU, judgement of 2 April 2020, joined cases C-715/17, C-718/17 and C-719/17: Rebel rebel, how could they know? The boundless imagination of Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic in opposing the relocation mechanism

Cahier de l'EDEM, 2020

In the case Commission v. Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, the Court of Justice of the EU,... more In the case Commission v. Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, the Court of Justice of the EU, upholding the actions for failure to fulfill obligations brought by the European Commission, ruled that the defendant States breached EU law by failing to comply with the relocation decisions adopted in 2015 by the Council. The Court rejects the States’ argumentation as to the need to safeguard their national order and security, adduced as justification for not relocating asylum seekers, and confirms that solidarity is a legally binding obligation. It also does not accept the alleged existence of malfunctioning and flaws of the relocation mechanism as a valid reason not to cooperate and show solidarity: it is exactly when obstacles and difficulties arise that solidarity and a sincere, genuine spirit of cooperation are most needed.

Research paper thumbnail of Caselaw commentary of the European Court of Human Rights, Decision on adimissibility of 5 May 2020, M N and others v. Belgium: Humanitarian visa: does the suspended step of the stork become a hunting permit?

Cahier de l'EDEM, 2020

The European Court of Human Rights declared the case M.N. and others v. Belgium inadmissible by e... more The European Court of Human Rights declared the case M.N. and others v. Belgium inadmissible by excluding that Belgium exercised extraterritorial jurisdiction over a family of Syrians requesting humanitarian visas from the Belgian embassy in Beirut. With its assessment as to jurisdiction, the Court insists upon keeping the status quo of access to asylum procedures.

Research paper thumbnail of Social media and applications to the ECtHR: connecting people in the name of human rights?

Strasbourgobservers, 2020

How does the European Court of Human Rights deal with social media? Is Facebook a toll that may b... more How does the European Court of Human Rights deal with social media? Is Facebook a toll that may be used for the protection of human rights?

Research paper thumbnail of “Tell me your story, but hurry up because I have to expel you” – Asady and Others v. Slovakia: how to (quickly) conduct individual interviews and (not) apply the ND & NT “own culpable conduct” test to collective expulsions

Strasbourg Observers, 2020

The ECtHR's judgment in Asady and Others v. Slovakia is relevant for two reasons. First, it provi... more The ECtHR's judgment in Asady and Others v. Slovakia is relevant for two reasons. First, it provides some (worrying) clarifications regarding the individualised examination of an alien prior to the expulsion, focusing on the conditions of the individual interview. Second, coming shortly after the Grand Chamber’s ruling in ND and NT v. Spain, it gave the Court an opportunity to reflect on the applicability of the exception of the “own culpable conduct” developed therein and to measure its impact on a case of collective expulsion at land borders

Research paper thumbnail of Recenti sviluppi nelle politiche di controllo migratorio in Europa

Eurojus.it, 2020

L’articolo illustra ed analizza i recenti sviluppi in materia di espulsioni collettive e respingi... more L’articolo illustra ed analizza i recenti sviluppi in materia di espulsioni collettive e respingimenti di migranti in tre contesti geografici dell’Unione europea: la frontiera terrestre tra Spagna e Marocco; il canale marittimo che dalla Libia conduce all’Italia lungo la c.d. rotta del Mediterraneo centrale; il confine greco-turco, teatro delle recenti tensioni tra Turchia e Unione europea sul rispetto della Dichiarazione del 2016 sul controllo e la gestione dei flussi migratori. Nei primi due contesti la prospettiva di analisi adottata è quella del Consiglio d’Europa, con particolare riguardo ai recenti interventi del Commissario per i diritti umani in riferimento al Memorandum tra Italia e Libia, e della Corte di Strasburgo con la sentenza nel caso N.D. e N.T. c. Spagna. Nel terzo contesto, si prendono in esame le reazioni e le contromisure dell’Unione europea e della Grecia per far fronte alla crescente pressione migratoria dovuta ai flussi provenienti dalla Turchia.

Research paper thumbnail of Politiche migratorie respingenti e controllo rafforzato delle frontiere: l’impatto sui diritti umani della gestione della crisi dei rifugiati nella giurisprudenza della Corte europea dei diritti dell’uomo

Ordine Internazionale e Diritti Umani, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of The Malta Declaration on Search & Rescue, disembarkation and relocation: Much Ado about Nothing

EU Immigration and Asylum Law and Policy, 2020

The Malta declaration confirms and even reinforces a trend towards informal solutions, agreed out... more The Malta declaration confirms and even reinforces a trend towards informal solutions, agreed outside the EU legal and procedural framework, which has been alarmingly common in the last years’ decision-making process on asylum and migration matters. Without a proper framework for implementation, elaborated in the context of a legitimate, transparent and EU-driven decision-making process, the Malta declaration is destined to belong to the already long list of EU (in)actions that are running countless in the history of European legal answers towards migrant dignity-seeking journeys in the Mediterranean.

Research paper thumbnail of Diritti al confine e il confine dei diritti: La Corte Edu si esprime sulle politiche di controllo frontaliero dell’Ungheria (Parte II – Detenzione e Art. 5 CEDU)

ADiM Blog, 2020

Nel caso Ilias e Ahmed c. Ungheria la Grande Camera della Corte Edu si pronuncia sul tratteniment... more Nel caso Ilias e Ahmed c. Ungheria la Grande Camera della Corte Edu si pronuncia sul trattenimento di due richiedenti asilo presso una zona di transito al confine serbo-ungherese e sulla loro successiva espulsione in Serbia. La vicenda fornisce alla Corte di Strasburgo l'occasione di affrontare l'inedita questione dell'inquadramento giuridico del trattenimento di un richiedente asilo presso una zona di transito in pendenza dell'esame della propria domanda di protezione internazionale. Alla luce di tutte le circostanze del caso, i giudici concludono per la non applicabilità dell'art. 5 CEDU al caso di specie in quanto la permanenza dei ricorrenti nella zona di transito non integra una privazione della loro libertà personale.

Research paper thumbnail of MIGRATION AND THE RULE OF (HUMAN RIGHTS) LAW: TWO 'CRISES' LOOKING IN THE SAME MIRROR

Croatian Yearbook of European Law & Policy, 2019

This article will attempt to demonstrate the interrelationship between two 'crises' that the Euro... more This article will attempt to demonstrate the interrelationship between two 'crises' that the European Union is facing: the so-called 'migration' or 'refugee crisis' and the crisis of the principle of the rule of law. In particular, the two crises fi nd their point of connection in the responses to migratory fl ows put in place by the EU and some of its Member States. The increasing migratory pressure on European external borders has induced some governments to adopt a restrictive and security-driven approach, carried out, on the one hand, by reinforcing border controls and surveillance, and, on the other, by seeking the cooperation of non-EU countries in order to curb migratory fl ows, contain departures, and tackle the movements of migrants towards Europe. These 'securitisation' and 'externalisation' strategies are in contrast with the principle of the rule of law under two perspectives: on the one hand, they violate some of its essential components, such as transparency, legal and procedural certainty, democratic participation , and control; on the other, they breach the same principle in-sofar as they lead to severe human rights violations. As for the fi rst aspect, migration and border control policies have been put in place by frontline States through a growing proliferation of atypical, informal , and non-transparent measures of migration governance, which, sounding 'legal' without actually being so, allow legislative, procedural and democratic frames to be avoided. Examples in this sense may be identifi ed in the so-called EU-Turkey Statement or in the informal , over-simplifi ed cooperation arrangements concluded by some EU frontline Member States with African countries, as in the case of Italy and Niger. As for the second aspect, the impact on the rule of (human rights) law of the response of some EU Member States to the migration crisis may be measured through the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and, more specifi cally, by considering the decisions concerning the most severe violations of migrants' rights, including those of the prohibitions of refoulement and of collective expulsion, as well as cases of illegal detention and deprivation of liberty.

Research paper thumbnail of The trilateral cooperation between the African Union, the European Union and the United Nations on migration and Libya: a successful example of collaboration?

Federalismi. it, Focus Africa, 11 December 2019, Dec 11, 2019

The paper intends to examine the international response to the humanitarian and human rights cris... more The paper intends to examine the international response to the humanitarian and human rights crises in Libya. It focuses, in particular, on the trilateral cooperation between the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) put in place in order to deal with the issue of Libyan detention centres for migrants.

Research paper thumbnail of Diritti al confine e il confine dei diritti: La Corte Edu si esprime sulle politiche di controllo frontaliero dell’Ungheria (Parte I – espulsione e Art. 3 CEDU)

ADiM Blog, 2019

Nel caso Ilias e Ahmed c. Ungheria la Grande Camera della Corte Edu si pronuncia sul tratteniment... more Nel caso Ilias e Ahmed c. Ungheria la Grande Camera della Corte Edu si pronuncia sul trattenimento di due richiedenti asilo presso una zona di transito al confine serbo-ungherese e sulla loro successiva espulsione in Serbia, considerata come "paese terzo sicuro". La Corte, in particolare, nel valutare i profili di rischio in termini di refoulement, fornisce interessanti chiarimenti circa gli obblighi dello Stato in caso di espulsione dello straniero verso un paese terzo designato come sicuro. Il caso, inoltre, consente alla Grande Camera di affrontare l'inedita questione dell'inquadramento giuridico del trattenimento di un richiedente asilo presso una zona di transito al confine tra due Stati in pendenza dell'esame della propria domanda di protezione internazionale.

Research paper thumbnail of L'Europa, i muri e la CEDU quale "Magna Carta" del continente europeo

Il 9 novembre 2019 si è celebrato il 30° anniversario della caduta del muro di Berlino, evento ep... more Il 9 novembre 2019 si è celebrato il 30° anniversario della caduta del muro di Berlino, evento epocale e punto di svolta nella storia europea e non solo. In Europa rimangono però ancora oggi altri muri, eretti per separare gli uomini gli uni dagli altri. Questi “muri” si pongono soprattutto nei confronti dei diritti fondamentali dello straniero, rendendoli ancora troppo spesso oggetto di gravi violazioni da parte degli Stati. Testimonianza di ciò si rinviene nella recente attività della Corte europea dei diritti dell’uomo, particolarmente intensa in materia d’immigrazione nel mese di novembre, con una serie di significative decisioni a cui è dedicato l’editoriale del Blog dell’Accademia di diritto e migrazioni (ADiM). La casistica mette in luce, in particolare, la difficoltà della Corte di Strasburgo nell’operare un non facile bilanciamento tra le contrapposte esigenze di tutela dei diritti fondamentali della persona da una parte, e quelle di sicurezza interna e di controllo dei confini da parte degli Stati dall’altra.

Research paper thumbnail of La gestione del fenomeno migratorio nello spazio giuridico Europeo ed Internazionale alla luce del principio di solidarietà

This work intends to focus on the true backbone of the EU policies in the field of migration: the... more This work intends to focus on the true backbone of the EU policies in the field of migration: the principle of solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility enshrined in Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Articles 67 and 80). Introduced explicitly for the first time with the Treaty of Lisbon and provided with legal binding value, several years after its entry into force, the principle of solidarity remains still insufficiently realised. This conclusion is reached through the analysis and the assessment of the different measures recently adopted by the EU in this regard. Indeed, despite the context of uncertainty, scarce political cohesion and alarming spread of xenophobic and racist feelings, the EU has tried to give the principle of solidarity practical value by adopting various implementing measures, which can be classified in three different categorises or, so to say, in three different types of solidarity: an “economic solidarity”, based on financial means and resources supplied by the EU to finance particular programs or to help Member states; a so called “operative solidarity”, based on direct and practical support such as the one provided by operations and missions carried out by the EU agencies Frontex and EASO; a so called “humanitarian solidarity”, which has as main object the redistribution of asylum seekers among the Member states, as the recently-introduced intra-EU relocation mechanism prescribes. This normative-operative framework has proven to be largely inadequate to effectively manage the current refugee crisis, which has clearly shown how far the concrete implementation of the principle of solidarity is: Member states geographically more exposed to the migratory pressure are struggling to manage the massive inflow of migrants, bearing responsibilities and burdens of the crisis, while other governments have decided to lock down borders and to oppose to collective and supportive measures adopted at EU level. In this regard, finally, the work considers the main obstacles to the complete realisation of the principle of solidarity and concludes with a consideration on the possible solutions to be put in practice by the EU in the near future.

Research paper thumbnail of L’Unione Europea tra “emergenza migranti” e crisi dei propri valori. La ricollocazione per quote di richiedenti asilo tra Stati membri come emblema della (superabile?) crisi della solidarietà europea

D. Ferrari, F. Mugnaini (a cura di), Europa come rifugio? La condizione di rifugiato tra diritto e società, 2019

SOMMARIO: 1. Introduzione: la solidarietà europea e la sua crisi – 2. La solidarietà quale elemen... more SOMMARIO: 1. Introduzione: la solidarietà europea e la sua crisi – 2. La solidarietà quale elemento fondamentale nel processo d’integrazione europea – 3. Il principio di solidarietà nelle politiche migratorie dell’Unione europea e la sua concreta attuazione – 4. In particolare: la solidarietà umanitaria e il meccanismo di ricollocazione – 5. La ricollocazione e gli Stati del Gruppo di Visegrad: tra opposizione politica, inadempimento e ricorsi alla Corte di Giustizia – 6. Gli obblighi di solidarietà attraverso le corti: la Corte di Giustizia e il Tribunal Supremo spagnolo – 7. Considerazioni conclusive