The Gap between Policy and Practice: Dublin Regulation III in Post-Overburdened Italy

Focused on procedural safeguards for asylum seekers contained within Dublin Regulation III (Articles 4 and 5), this thesis has the aim of understanding why Italian administrations are still not compliant with these rights, which are nevertheless guaranteed in directly applicable and immediately enforceable EU legislation. This study turns its attention to the enforcement obstacles, and explores the factors that might impede compliance with the law, some of which appeared less self-evident than others. Before proceeding to a technical on-the-ground analysis of the problem informed by expert interviews, the previously assumed argument of 'overburdened peripheral state' is first taken off the debate, since, as the thesis explains, due to recent policies, Italy has not been burdened during the last two years and yet has still been demonstrating lack of compliance. The results point to two clear distinct factors: a poor administration lacking staff, training and autonomy, as well as a lack of control and sanction from EU and National entities, and lack of litigation from below. Further results hinting at the potential existence of political interference in administrations' non-application of these articles have also been highlighted but not confirmed as those are in need of more thorough research...