The Italian job: migration and bilateral relations with Southern Mediterranean countries

Developing and strengthening bilateral relations in the Southern Mediterranean is a migration management imperative for countries, such as Italy, that are in a particular geographical and geopolitical position. This chapter analyses the current Italian legal framework from two different perspectives: on the one hand is that of the international agreements signed with third Mediterranean countries and the full implementation of the Palermo Protocols on smuggling and on trafficking in human beings; on the other is that of the involvement of Italy, as a member of the European Union (EU), in the mobility partnership agreements signed between the EU and the Southern Mediterranean countries concerned. In carrying out this analysis, the chapter highlights some critical aspects of the situation and possible new strategies for managing migration in the coming years.