Abstract

Since 2011, Italy's strategy to support migrants has mainly been centred on emergency measures, as evidenced by projects such as «Emergency North Africa» and «Mare Nostrum». It did not take long to acknowledge the faults of such emergency approach, namely the allocation of financial resources to subjects that did not possess the required expertise and competencies; the failure to monitor and account for expenses and lack of integration with the existing local services. This resulted in the creation of a rescuing system that worked alongside the current one provided by Sprar (Refugees and Asylum Seekers System, state funded and governed at a national and European level). Is it possible to identify aspects of the typical Italian migration policies in these government decisions? This article seeks to analyse the limitations imposed by European and national regulations on support projects; the history of support strategies aimed at foreign nationals living in Italy; the role of the no profit sector within the public administration and the consequences of the economical and competency-related dependency arisen between the two sectors.