The Constitutionality of the Italy–Albania Protocol of November 2023

Abstract

In recent years, the management of asylum-seeker flows has increasingly become a subject of political contention, prompting several states to explore the externalization of asylum procedures as a policy response. Within this context, in November 2023, the Italian Government concluded an agreement with the Republic of Albania to process up to 3,000 applications annually on Albanian territory. Building upon the longstanding legal and diplomatic ties between the two countries, this paper examines the responses of national institutions in Italy and Albania, as well as briefly mentioning the positions adopted by international and supranational actors, following constitutional approval by the Albanian Constitutional Court.