Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani chaired today in Munich, together with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, the second round table discussion on combating irregular immigration, following the one held last year, again on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
The meeting was attended by the Foreign Ministers and representatives of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway, as well as EU High Representative Kaja Kallas.
Opening the meeting, Minister Tajani emphasized that combating irregular immigration is also a foreign policy priority, to be addressed with an integrated approach, exemplified by the Mattei Plan, which focuses on conflict prevention, management, and resolution, as well as economic development in countries of origin and transit.
The meeting provided an important opportunity to discuss concrete measures that Foreign Ministers could jointly adopt to combat irregular immigration and the most effective development cooperation interventions to reduce immigration flows. In this regard, the Rome Process, of which the United Kingdom is also a member, was enhanced for its role as an inclusive platform, bringing together countries of origin, transit, and destination, along with relevant international organizations, promoting the alignment of priorities and the sharing of responsibilities and project initiatives.
In 2025, as in previous years, Italy confirmed its position as the EU’s leading destination for irregular immigration flows (approximately 66,300 arrivals, a 0.5% decrease compared to 2024 and a 57% decrease compared to 2023). Arrivals from the Libyan coast accounted for 88% of the total, while those from Tunisia accounted for 7%. Bangladesh was still the leading nationality for arrivals (+41%). Arrivals also increased from the Horn of Africa (Eritrea +251%, Ethiopia +71%), Egypt (+108%), and Sudan (+95%). In the European Union overall, irregular arrivals decreased by 26% in 2025.
