Judges at the EU’s top court have ruled Italy can fast deportations to countries designated as “safe,” but with limits.

The European Union's top court is to rule on Friday on a list issued by Italy of countries labelled as safe enough for asylum seekers to be returned there. The list is part of an effort by the right-wing government in Rome to speed up the vetting of asylum requests and to allow fewer people to enter Italy.

A ruling by the EU's top court has dealt a further blow to Italy's attempts to create a fast-track system in Albania for processing asylum applications offshore.