On 2 November 2025 the controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on migration cooperation between Italy and Libya renewed automatically for a further three-year term after neither government exercised its right to terminate or revise the accord before the deadline. The agreement, first signed in 2017, underpins Italy’s strategy of outsourcing border control to Libya by providing training, vessels, equipment and funding to the Libyan Coast Guard in exchange for intercepting migrant boats in the Central Mediterranean.
The Meloni government secured parliamentary backing for renewal on 15 October, arguing that the MoU is essential to curb irregular arrivals and save lives at sea. Critics counter that the pact merely externalises Italy’s obligations while exposing migrants to grave abuses in Libyan detention centres. Human Rights Watch and a coalition of Italian NGOs staged demonstrations in Rome, Milan and Palermo on 2 November, demanding that Italy withdraw, citing documented cases of torture, extortion and forced labour in Libya’s camps.
![Italy-Libya Migration Pact Automatically Renews Despite Widespread Protests]()
Business-mobility planners are watching closely because the automatic renewal cements Italy’s reliance on a deterrence model that could trigger further EU scrutiny and legal challenges, potentially disrupting humanitarian corridors, corporate relocation initiatives and seasonal-worker quotas. Companies relocating staff to Italy from North Africa or employing ship crews on Mediterranean routes should prepare for possible reputational risks and tighter due-diligence checks on recruitment chains.
Looking ahead, opposition parties have pledged to table a repeal motion in early 2026, and several regional courts are considering lawsuits that could reach the EU Court of Justice. Until then, the Libyan Coast Guard will continue to receive Italian support, and asylum-seekers intercepted at sea will be disembarked in Libya rather than Italy. Mobility stakeholders should monitor litigation timelines and factor in longer lead times for humanitarian transfers via third countries such as Albania and Tunisia.
The Meloni government secured parliamentary backing for renewal on 15 October, arguing that the MoU is essential to curb irregular arrivals and save lives at sea. Critics counter that the pact merely externalises Italy’s obligations while exposing migrants to grave abuses in Libyan detention centres. Human Rights Watch and a coalition of Italian NGOs staged demonstrations in Rome, Milan and Palermo on 2 November, demanding that Italy withdraw, citing documented cases of torture, extortion and forced labour in Libya’s camps.
Business-mobility planners are watching closely because the automatic renewal cements Italy’s reliance on a deterrence model that could trigger further EU scrutiny and legal challenges, potentially disrupting humanitarian corridors, corporate relocation initiatives and seasonal-worker quotas. Companies relocating staff to Italy from North Africa or employing ship crews on Mediterranean routes should prepare for possible reputational risks and tighter due-diligence checks on recruitment chains.
Looking ahead, opposition parties have pledged to table a repeal motion in early 2026, and several regional courts are considering lawsuits that could reach the EU Court of Justice. Until then, the Libyan Coast Guard will continue to receive Italian support, and asylum-seekers intercepted at sea will be disembarked in Libya rather than Italy. Mobility stakeholders should monitor litigation timelines and factor in longer lead times for humanitarian transfers via third countries such as Albania and Tunisia.
