Europe's top court on Friday questioned the legitimacy of the "safe countries" list Italy uses to send migrants to Albania and fast-track their asylum claims, in a fresh blow to a key plank of the government's migration policy.

The European Union's top court on Friday backed Italian judges who questioned a list of "safe countries" drawn up by Rome to deport migrants to detention centres in Albania. The hard-right government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni denounced the European Court of Justice's ruling and said it "weakens policies to combat mass illegal immigration".

Europe's top court on Friday questioned the legitimacy of the "safe countries" list Italy uses to send migrants to Albania to await decisions on their asylum claims, in a fresh blow to a key aspect of the government's migration policy.