EU ministers agree on 10-point action plan on migration

Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela says consensus exists to fight smugglers but warns against returning to the use of words such as 'voluntary'

Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela and European Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos (Photo: European Council)
Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela and European Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos (Photo: European Council)

At a joint meeting of Foreign and Interior Ministers, chaired by High Representative Federica Mogherini in Luxembourg, Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos presented a 10-point plan of the immediate actions to be taken in response to the crisis situation in the Mediterranean. 

The plan received the full backing of Foreign and Interior Ministers.

"We need to show that same collective European sense of urgency we have consistently shown in reacting in times of crisis. The dire situation in the Mediterranean is not a new nor a passing reality. That is why the Commission will come forward with a comprehensive European Agenda on Migration in May to address the structural problems. The 10 actions we have agreed upon today are the direct, substantial measures we will take to make an immediate difference. All of these actions require our common effort, the European institutions and the 28 Member States. We will convey these proposals to the European Council which will meet on Thursday in an extraordinary session to address the situation in the Mediterranean. This is what Europe taking responsibility is - all of us working together," Mogherini and Avramopoulos said in a joint statement.

The ministers agreed to reinforce the Joint Operations in the Mediterranean, by increasing the financial resources and the number of assets and extending their operational area and agreed to a systematic effort to capture and destroy vessels used by the smugglers. 

The ministers said EUROPOL, FRONTEX, EASO and EUROJUST should meet regularly and work closely to gather information on smugglers modus operandi, to trace their funds and to assist in their investigation; EASO should deploy teams in Italy and Greece for joint processing of asylum applications; Member States must ensure fingerprinting of all migrants while considering options for an emergency relocation mechanism.

They proposed the establishment of a new return programme for rapid return of irregular migrants coordinated by Frontex from frontline Member States and engage with countries surrounding Libya through a joined effort between the Commission and the EEAS; initiatives in Niger have to be stepped up.
The action plan includes deploying Immigration Liaison Officers (ILO) in key third countries to gather intelligence on migratory flows and strengthen the role of the EU delegations.

The Council also proposed "an EU wide voluntary pilot project on resettlement, offering a number of places to persons in need of protection".
Speaking to MaltaToday from Luxembourg, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela warned against returning to the use of the word "voluntary", reminding that for certain countries like Malta "voluntary was not an option".

"If the European countries truly believe in working as a team, then we shouldn't be talking about 'voluntary' projects," the minister said.
Echoing the Prime Minister's comments, Abela reiterated that the fight should right now concentrate against human smugglers. Next Thursday's European Council is set to focus on how Europe can address this.

"There is the political will and consensus on a wide range issues and the fact that today's meeting was convened in less than 24 hours, with the absolute majority of ministers participating, is a positive sign," the minister added.

The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said the situation in the Mediterranean was dramatic and it could not continue like this: "We cannot accept that hundreds of people die when trying to cross the sea to Europe. This is why I have decided to call an extraordinary European Council this Thursday. And this is also why I travelled to the region three weeks ago."

The objective of the summit is to discuss what the Member States and the EU institutions together could do to alleviate the situation now.
"I do not expect any quick-fix solutions to the root causes of migration - because there are none. Had they existed, we would have used them long ago. But I do expect that the Commission and the European External Action Service will present options for immediate action. And I do expect Member States will contribute immediately," he said.

The EU leaders are expected to discuss how to stop the human traffickers that cynically earn money by putting the migrants' lives at risk and how to better help the EU Members States most affected, among others.

"The situation in the Mediterranean concerns not only the countries in our Southern neighborhood, it concerns all of us, all of Europe. That is way we need to act, and act together, now," Tusk said.