Lorenzo Macchi
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Italy
Migration routes via Italy to Europe - Statistics & Facts
Italy is one of the main entry points in Europe for immigrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Together with Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, and Cyprus, Italy is among the most common member states reached by immigrants. However, in the last years, Italy played a controversial role in rescuing migrants at sea. As a consequence of anti-migration policies, a previous government declared that Italian ports were closed to ships carrying rescued migrants. This led to long standoffs of NGOs’ ships before receiving permission to disembark at a safe harbor, impounding charity ships used to rescue migrants, and long debates among other European Union members about funding or proceedings.
More information is available about the Eastern route compared to the Western and Central routes because in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea bodies are more often brought to land than in the Western and Central Sea. Eventually, a third major route is that from Morocco and the Western coast of Algeria to Spain, known as the Western Mediterranean route.
Resettlement and the dangerous routes to Europe
Between 2015 and 2016, the European Union implemented a emergency relocation program, which foresees the transfer of individuals in need of international protection among the member states, Switzerland, and Norway. A large number of migrants who arrived in Italy in 2018 were relocated to Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Nevertheless, crossing borders irregularly within Europe has experienced an increase in the last years. Migrants are forced to choose life-threatening routes and methods to cross European borders. Such methods include train surfing, river crossing, or hiking through mountains without appropriate equipment. In recent years, several deaths of immigrants were recorded at the Italian-French border in the attempt to migrate within Europe.Death at sea
The sea route undertaken by immigrants that leads to Italy is the Central Mediterranean route.This route includes the crossing from North Africa to Italy as well as to Malta. The main declared nationality upon arrival in Italy is Egypt, while Tunisia, Bangladesh, and Syria followed the ranking in 2022. During that same year, 1,385 migrants died while crossing the Central Mediterranean route. Among the different routes in the Mediterranean Sea, the Central route registered the highest number of fatalities overall. Another sea route is the Eastern Mediterranean route, which covers migration flows from Turkey to Greece and Cyprus.More information is available about the Eastern route compared to the Western and Central routes because in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea bodies are more often brought to land than in the Western and Central Sea. Eventually, a third major route is that from Morocco and the Western coast of Algeria to Spain, known as the Western Mediterranean route.
