Italy agrees to take back asylum seekers from Netherlands

Italy has reached an agreement with the Netherlands on taking back asylum seekers, Dutch Asylum and Migration Minister Bart van den Brink said Wednesday.

Van den Brink signed a memorandum of understanding in Rome with Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, paving the way for asylum seekers who traveled to the Netherlands via Italy to once again be returned to the country, broadcaster NOS reported.

He further said he had agreed with Piantedosi that once the European Migration Pact enters into force on June 12, Italy will start accepting the return of asylum seekers.

Meanwhile, people who registered in the Netherlands before June 12 will not be sent back.

While the Migration Pact allows member states to ease pressure on countries such as Italy by either taking in asylum seekers or providing financial and other forms of assistance, Van den Brink said the Netherlands would opt for the latter.

Netherlands and Italy also agreed to strengthen cooperation on returning rejected asylum seekers to their countries of origin and combating migrant smuggling.