Migration summit in Brussels – EU Commission strives for more cooperation – News

  • Significantly more migrants are coming to Europe via the Mediterranean.
  • The EU Commission wants to improve burden sharing, closer cooperation in rescue operations and more cooperation with countries of origin and transit.
  • At a special summit in Brussels on Friday, the EU interior ministers discussed the refugee problem.

The idea behind the crisis meeting in Brussels: to defuse the dispute over taking in boat people who are taken in by aid organizations and then taken to the EU.

Italy had recently refused entry into a port in such a case, whereupon a ship had to go to France. The government in Paris was outraged and pointed out that rescue ships actually have a right to go to the nearest port. Italy then criticized the lack of solidarity from other EU countries and called for more support.

Can the action plan resolve the conflict?

The basis for the talks between the interior ministers in Brussels was an action plan presented by the EU Commission last Monday. In particular, it envisages intensifying cooperation with countries of origin and transit and launching a new program against human smuggling in North Africa.

Assessment by SRF correspondent Andreas Reich


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«Migration policy is a permanent issue in the EU. That’s why people in Brussels didn’t really like talking about it in the past few months.

How can migrants be fairly distributed among the different states? Which rules should apply to private rescue ships in the Mediterranean? These are just two of many questions.

These questions were not answered at the crisis meeting of interior ministers either. Nevertheless, the meeting brought more than travel expenses to Brussels: The issue of migration is back on the EU agenda. Member States are talking to each other again. And that’s the only way to find a solution. The special summit on Friday evening might be a start.”

In addition, the solidarity mechanism voluntarily supported by around 20 EU countries should be better used. It was launched in June to support countries where large numbers of boat people arrive. Diplomats criticized that the action plan was little more than a compilation of old measures and proposals.

EU Commissioner: “Unsustainable situation”

According to the Interior Ministry in Rome, more than 94,000 migrants have arrived in Italy since the beginning of the year. Compared to the same period last year, the number rose by around 53 percent. “Italy can’t be the only port of arrival in Europe,” says Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi in Brussels.

The EU Commissioner responsible, Ylva Johansson, described the situation as unsustainable and pointed out that very few people who arrive leave their homeland because of political persecution. “We have to keep in mind that a clear majority who arrive today via this central Mediterranean route do not need international protection,” said Johansson. Many of these people primarily wanted to earn money in the EU.

Legend:

The newly elected Prime Minister of Italy can probably see the fact that all interior ministers are marching in Brussels on migration issues as a partial success.

EPA/HERMINE POSCHMANN v MISSION LIFELINE

Concrete political decisions on how to deal with the new increase in migration numbers are not expected before the next regular meeting of interior ministers on December 8th. By then, the EU Commission also wants to present an action plan on the rising numbers of people coming to the EU via the countries of the Western Balkans.

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