Europe is increasingly outsourcing its immigration and prison systems, with countries such as Italy, Denmark and the UK striking controversial agreements to manage migrant processing or prisoner overcrowding outside their borders. 

The Western Balkans region, neighbouring the European Union but not yet part of it, is one of the areas other European states are looking to. Two examples involve Albania and Kosovo, which are working with Italy and Denmark respectively. 

Italy's migrant processing in Albania

Italy's refugee camps in Albania are expected to open in November 2024, marking a significant development in European efforts to manage migrant flows. This will take place under a five-year agreement, where Albania will shelter up to 3,000 migrants monthly who have been rescued from international waters. The goal is to process their asylum requests within a month, potentially housing up to 36,000 asylum seekers annually.

This deal aims to alleviate pressure on Italy's borders, which have been strained by a surge in migration across the Mediterranean.

Construction of the refugee camp in Gjadër, Lezha, is progressing quickly, with many facilities already completed, according to local media. Reports suggest that the first migrants are expected to arrive in October or November 2024. Italian police and carabinieri have been securing the camp since late August, while the other centre in Shengjin has been ready since June.

Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hopes that this agreement will become a model for other European Union member states, offering a way to streamline the asylum process while reducing the strain on domestic facilities. However, it has proved to be controversial, drawing criticism in both Albania and Italy, as well as from international rights groups. 

Thirty opposition lawmakers in Albania challenged the agreement on constitutional grounds, arguing that it infringes on Albanian sovereignty. Despite these challenges, Albania's Constitutional Court dismissed the case, and the deal has been ratified by the Albanian parliament, which is controlled by Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party.

While controversial, the arrangement has strengthened ties between Italy and Albania. Italy is expected to play a key role in supporting Albania's bid for European Union membership and has also expanded its investments in sectors such as energy, agriculture and telecommunications.

This agreement between Rome and Tirana mirrors other attempts by European countries to handle migrants overseas, most notably the UK’s now-defunct Rwanda plan, which aimed to send asylum seekers to Rwanda permanently, even if they were granted refugee status. Italy's deal differs, as migrants will return once their asylum claims are processed.

The UK’s current Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, who cancelled the Rwanda deal shortly after coming to office, visited Italy in September. Discussions with Meloni covered migration, and Starmer expressed an interest in a similar deal with Tirana. 

However, Rama later made clear that Albania only planned to host migrants for Italy, citing the special relationship with its near neighbour. 

Rama clashed with the previous UK government over migration, accusing politicians in London of scapegoating Albanians. An agreement later signed between the two countries has seen the return of Albanians to their home country, with the UK providing support. 

Denmark’s prison deal with Kosovo

In a similar vein of outsourcing, Denmark has entered into an agreement with Kosovo to address overcrowding in its prison system. Under a treaty approved by Kosovo's parliament earlier this year, Denmark will lease 300 cells in a Kosovan prison to house foreign nationals convicted in Denmark who are due to be deported after serving their sentences.

This €15mn-per-year deal involves the renovation of Kosovo’s Gjilan prison to meet Danish standards, with the goal of easing the strain on Denmark's prison system, where overcrowding has been a growing issue since 2015. On a visit to Kosovo, Denmark’s Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard recently praised the "fruitful cooperation" between the two countries, stating that the move will provide much-needed relief to Denmark’s probation services.

The agreement has raised concerns among human rights groups, including Denmark-based Dignity, which warned of a higher risk of inmate mistreatment in Kosovo. The US State Department's 2023 report on Kosovo's prisons cited issues such as corruption, violence among inmates and inadequate healthcare, adding to these concerns. Despite these challenges, the Danish government has moved forward with the plan, highlighting the necessity of finding additional prison capacity.

These outsourcing agreements are part of a broader European trend where countries seek external solutions to internal problems. As Europe continues to face pressure from rising migration and strained prison systems, outsourcing deals are likely to become more common. Yet such agreements are often fraught with legal, ethical and political complications.

Despite the concerns, European governments argue that these deals provide practical solutions to pressing issues, reducing strain on domestic systems and improving operational efficiency.