A project entitled 'Support for lnformation and Training at the Main Entrance Points via Sea, Air, and Land' funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) 2021-2027 was announced by UNHCR in a February 5 press release.

The UN agency noted that it would be implemented in partnership with the department for civil liberties and immigration within the Italian interior ministry.

The initiative, which will run from October 2026 to April 2028, is part of a framework of national and European policies aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of initial reception systems and ensuring timely and well-informed access to international protection procedures.

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Information on rights, asylum procedures, and services

Italy continues to be one of the main points of arrival in Europe for people seeking protection, in a context marked by complex and constantly evolving migration flows.

The profiles of those arriving differ widely and include unaccompanied minors, nuclear families, and people with specific needs, including particularly vulnerable individuals.

UNHCR added that many of these individuals arrive via land on specific routes, and that ensuring clear and accessible information from the very first phases of entrance into the country is one of the main challenges faced by the authorities and others involved.

The project was created from the need to ensure that people arriving in the country receive clear, accurate, and accessible information on their rights, asylum procedures, and services available shortly after arriving in the country. Special attention will be given to the main entrance points for those arriving via sea, where access to information is a key element for the protection of vulnerable individuals.

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Implementation of EU Pact on Migration and Asylum

Alongside information activities, the project provides for a detailed training and skills-building program for both government officials and others working in border and initial reception activities.

The aim, UNHCR stressed, is to foster uniform and coordinated approaches in line with national and European standards, improving capacity for identifying protection needs and orientation towards appropriate services.

Through multilingual informational tools, specialised training programs, and technical support, the project contributes to strengthening the quality of reception procedures and fostering a a more effective system in line with basic rights and attentive to the specific needs of those arriving in Italy in search of protection.

The UNHCR said in the press release that the project is yet another sign of its commitment and that of Italian institutions to translate the principles of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum into concrete interventions, strengthening the ability of the national system to respond in a structured and coordinated way to the challenges posed by migration movements.

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