A senior German lawmaker has warned that Italy’s refusal to comply with new EU asylum regulations could undermine a recently implemented system aimed at streamlining migrant management across member states.

Alexander Throm, a key figure in Germany’s CDU party, has criticized Italy for what he sees as a deliberate attempt to thwart the Common European Asylum System (CEAS), which came into effect just weeks ago. Throm expressed concerns that Italy’s refusal to accept the return of asylum seekers, whose applications it is responsible for processing, could jeopardize the system as a whole and lead to increased border controls within Europe.

Under the new CEAS framework, member states agreed to a two-pronged approach: expedited processing and deportations for applicants from safer countries, alongside a mutual support mechanism. This includes financial aid to nations located at Europe’s external borders and a recommitment to the Dublin protocol, which dictates that the first EU country entered by migrants is responsible for asylum processing. However, Italy, despite being a key external border nation, has largely declined to take back migrants who moved to other EU countries, including Germany. Reports indicate that Italy has accepted only 15 out of nearly 35,000 return requests from Germany.

The Italian government, led by right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, is reportedly resisting the reforms due to domestic political pressure and rising competition from far-right factions. Critics say this stance could create a domino effect, prompting other nations to tighten their borders and further strain the EU’s ability to manage migration efficiently. As Germany and several other EU nations push for compliance, the issue threatens to become a major stumbling block for Europe’s collective migration policy.