Decree published identifying border-crossing points and transit zones

The Decree of the Ministry of the Interior of 21 July 2026 was published in the Official Journal on 10 August, redefining the geographical perimeter of the border and transit zones on the national territory.

The measure responds to new dynamics in migratory flows and full implementation of accelerated procedures provided for by the Pact on Migration and Asylum (and follows recent jurisprudence  limiting the possibility to use the accelerated border procedure in absence of a dedicated decree identifying such areas). 

With the addition established by the decree, the border zone map expands to include specific strategic maritime, air and land hubs. In these identified areas, public authorities and police forces are able to directly apply administrative regulations and border operational procedures. The formal inclusion of a location among the border or transit zones has significant procedural consequences. Specifically:

• Fast-track procedures for examining and evaluating applications for international protection (up to and including possible repatriation or rejection) are applied at the identified points;
• Anyone entering or being taken to these designated areas is formally considered not to have yet entered the national territory for the entire duration of the initial checks and screening.

The list of provinces where new centres for carrying out accelerated border procedures have been identified is as follows:

1. Asti;
2. Belluno;
3. Benevento;
4. Bologna;
5. Ferrara;
6. Genoa;
7. Imperia;
8. La Spezia;
9. Latin;
10. Lecco;
11. Mantua;
12. Milan;
13. Monza Brianza;
14. Padua;
15. Pordenone
16. Reggio Calabria;
17. Savona;
18. Siena;
19. Treviso;
20. Udine;
21. Varese;
22. Venice;
23. Verona;
24. Vibo Valentia;
25. Vicenza.