The Steering Committee of the Scuola Superiore della Magistratura (Training School for the Judiciary) and the Scuola di Perfezionamento per le Forze di Polizia (Intergaency Law Enforcement Academy of Advanced Studies), in implementation of the signed partnership agreement, organized and held a training course on the topic “Maritime borders and migration flows: State obligations and fundamental rights. Internal legal and organizational issues in the context of international law”. This course, which was held at the venue of the SFP, was attended by 25 magistrates as well as by the trainees of the Advanced Training Course. It was aimed at providing the attendees with further skills in this field and promoting the exchange of mutual knowledge and experiences.
The course was held from 26 to 28 May 2025 at the “Prefetto Carlo Mosca” Conference Hall at the Scuola di Perfezionamento per le Forze di Polizia. On 30 May 2025 the participants went to Lampedusa, where they visited the areas used as first reception centres. Then, they were given information on the maritime procedures for the control of the external borders and rescue at sea by the Guardia di Finanza.
The first part of the course addressed a wide range of legal issues, including the control of maritime borders, search and rescue operations (SAR), disembarkation and reception procedures, with a special focus on national and international legislation and case law. Topics such as the protection of unaccompanied foreign minors, methods of identification and protection, de facto detention and the potential implications of the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum were also analyzed.
The program was then divided into operational sessions held at the Hall of the National Coordination Centre (NCC) of the Tuscolano FunctionalCentre. Visits were conducted to the National Centre for the Coordination and Fight against Illegal Immigration and then to the Air and Naval Operations Command of the Guardia di Finanza Corps in Pratica di Mare.
On the island of Lampedusa the trainees visited the First Aid and Reception Centre of Contrada Imbriacola, where they had the possibility to directly interact with the personnel in charge of the identification, health control and transfer of migrants and the management of the Centre by the Croce Rossa Italiana (CRI) (Italian Red Cross).
The civil and military authorities of the province of Agrigento and the heads of the CRI that manages the Centre welcomed the delegation and illustrated in detail the rescue activities of illegal migrants, with particular reference to the interventions related to shipwrecks and the subsequent phases of their management and transfer, with a special focus on the protection of unaccompanied minors.
On the last day, the trainees embarked on the naval units of the Guardia di Finanza Corps engaged in patrol operations along the Italian coasts and in the SAR (Search and Rescue) zone shared with Malta.
