Anna Maria Cisint, an MEP from the Patriots for Europe (PfE) group, has asked the European Commission whether a local authority's decision to use its own budget to provide free public transport for asylum seekers violates EU law. In a written question dated 13 July 2026, Cisint argues that the Metropolitan City of Bologna is granting preferential treatment to asylum seekers over Italian and other EU citizens who must pay for the same service, potentially breaching the principles of proportionality, equal treatment, and sound financial management.
Bologna uses local public resources to finance transport passes for asylum seekers housed in contingency reception centres. Cisint asks the Commission to assess whether this goes beyond the minimum reception standards set by EU legislation, and whether it discriminates against other residents. She also requests that the Commission verify if such spending is consistent with the EU's regulatory framework on reception and integration.
The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal whether it views the local initiative as a permissible use of municipal autonomy or as a distortion of EU asylum rules. The case touches on a broader tension between local solidarity measures and the principle of equal treatment for all EU citizens, with potential implications for other municipalities considering similar policies.