Switzerland will begin flying asylum seekers back to Italy from late August, ending a nearly four-year suspension of transfers under the Dublin system. First deportation flights have already been booked, with operations expected to start before the end of the month.
Rome blocked all readmissions of asylum seekers from other European countries in December 2022, a freeze that lasted until the new European Union migration and asylum pact took effect on 12 June 2026. Under the updated rules, Italy will only readmit asylum seekers who arrived on its territory after the pact's entry into force.
The restriction significantly limits the scope of returns. Of 3,784 people affected by the Swiss caseload, a maximum of 652 — roughly 17 percent — are eligible for transfer under the new framework.