Abstract

The scope of this Article is to present an Italian peculiar best practice, the Humanitarian Corridors, with particular attention to its implementation in the Autonomous Province of Trento. The Humanitarian Corridors can be defined as a kind of «Protected Entry Procedure» which allows safe and legal entry into a host Country to vulnerable people fleeing war and persecution and seeking international protection. The legal basis of this best practice is art. 25 of the EU Visa Code that allow Member States to issue Visa with limited territorial validity «when the Member State concerned considers it necessary on Humanitarian grounds», in order to protect vulnerable people exposed to serious, irreversible harm. In Italy, the Humanitarian Corridors were introduced by two distinct Protocols signed by the Ministries of Interior and of Foreign Affairs and, respectively, by the Federation of Evangelical Churches (2015) and by the Catholic Church (2017), in both cases with the collaboration of the Sant’Egidio Community. The aim of this Alliance between private associations and Public Institutions is to provide to Syrian Citizens from Lebanon (or to Eritreans and Somalis Refugees from Sudan or Ethiopia) safe journeys, legal assistance, first reception in Italy, request of Asylum procedures and a process of socio-cultural integration in the host communities. The private sponsorship means that the Associations are bearing entirely the costs of the Project; in Trentino, a unique case in the Italian panorama, the Provincial Government financially supports the Humanitarian Corridor Project, ensuring broad support for reception costs. This model of Solidarity can protect small numbers of people, but can be easily replicated in other Communities and in other States and can become a valuable tool to protect life and Human rights of people in danger and on the run.