The Expert Council on NGO Law has issued a new Opinion on Italian Decree Law No. 1, of 2 January 2023, which relates to search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean.

The Opinion considers the compatibility of the Decree Law with European standards on civil society space. It recommends the Italian Government to consult with civil society groups most affected and to revoke the law until adequate and effective steps are taken to ensure that migrants’ lives are not being put at risk by the inability of search and rescue NGOs to work effectively.  

  Opinion on the compatibility with European standards of Italian Decree Law No. 1 of 2 January 2023 on the management of migratory flows