Smugglers are finding new routes for trafficking migrants into the EU, European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos has said.
“In 2014 more than 276,000 migrants arrived in the EU, representing an increase of 138% compared to the previous year. Smugglers are finding new routes to Europe and employing new methods”.
He said that many lives were saved by Frontex and the Italian Coast Guard over Christmas. “We cannot allow ruthless smugglers to make a fortune exploiting migrants looking for safe passage to Europe, as people in need of protection should not risk their lives to get that protection”.
“In order to respond to constantly evolving strategies of smugglers, EU and member states must see better coordination and a more comprehensive approach to address routes used by smugglers and current migrant flows”.
Recent events show that joint operation Triton which began on 1 November 2014 has saved the lives of thousands of migrants. “Almost 16,000 irregular migrants were rescued and 57 facilitators have been arrested since then”.
“At the Hague, EUROPOL’s team and cross boarders investigations of smugglers have been reinforced,” he explained.
“The Commissioner mentioned the EU Asylum Support System established in Malta, stating that it has recently launched an operation to get information from asylum seekers on the routes they used to reach the European Union”.
“Smuggling is a criminal offence however we need to make our legal instruments more effective and the Commission is reviewing the existing framework to improve their implementation.
Turning to Turkey, he said that it has become a new route for human smugglers, adding that communication with Turkish authorities has been strengthened.
“The EU and the member states is the largest donor of humanitarian aid for the Syrian people,” he said. “Member states have offered over 36,000 places to Syrian refugees as part of its resettlement efforts, however more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees have fled to Syria’s neighbours. There is no doubt that the EU has to do more. The Commission has set up a resettlement forum to ensure fair distribution of these Syrian refugees”.
“Resettlement and humanitarian missions remain the main routes of legal access to the EU. Legal migration is also an important tool in this context to help Syrians”.
European Council representative Zanda Kalnina-Lukasevica spoke of the operations by those who save migrant lives, thanking them for their work.
“Ministers are aware of the new phenomenon called ‘ghost ships’, large old ships abandoned with migrants aboard directed towards EU borders. Action needs to be taken against this and against smugglers and traffickers to dismantle these trafficking networks and to prosecute those organising these human trafficking rings”.
“Organised crime and trafficking are considered priority areas for the Council,” she said, emphasising the need to combat the people smuggling these migrants.
“The Council will continue to monitor the migrant situation and looks forward to the Commission’s proposals on how to tackle the situation”.
We are at risk of another tragedy – Roberta Metsola
Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola said that, “Over the last weeks we have witnessed a worrying new trend by organised criminal gangs trafficking human beings across the Mediterranean”.
“Unseaworthy 'Ghost Ships' have been put on auto-pilot, without crews, headed on collision course with Europe. The images that we have seen of decommissioned livestock vessels packed with vulnerable people will haunt us. The vessels are packed with many more people than we have previously seen. We are risking yet another tragedy in the Mediterranean”.
Dr Metsola believes that this is a trend that cannot be ignored. “We need to work urgently on a better more holistic approach and comes up with concrete measures to tackle human trafficking networks that prey on the most vulnerable of our society”.
She highlighted the importance of the need to work with third countries to try to put a stop to this activity and have the political courage to look at long term approaches that go beyond out political mandate. She gave the example of developing countries in Africa and looking at legal avenues to migration. “We need the courage to realise, yes, that the issue of migration cannot be faced only by the Mediterranean countries on the periphery of Europe”.
“Every European government is as responsible as countries like Malta and Italy. They cannot shirk their responsibilities just because they are not geographically in the Mediterranean”.
“This Parliament has now passed two resolutions calling for action in the Mediterranean in the last 18 months. The Council needs to act, some member States can no longer bury their heads in the sand and wash their hands of responsibility. This is a European issue and it needs a European solution”.
Maltese MEP Therese Comodini Cachia said that human smuggling attacks the dignity of those who fall victim to it. “The EU has so far encompassed a strategy for the Mediterranean however the ever increasing number of incidents shows it is insufficient. For this, we need to come up with action measures going beyond what has been tried, tested and failed. At the same time better coordination of action by member states is also required”.
Our targets should be smugglers, not migrants - MEP
One MEP pointed that all Ghost Ships thus far have come from Turkey, emphasising the need for better cooperation with Turkey to tackle the issue of human smuggling.
An ALDE representative suggested allowing embassies in the countries of origin to give out asylum documents for refugees. In conjunction with this, another MEP said that “we need legal channels for migration to Europe, we are speaking about people’s lives”.
EPP MEP Anna Maria Corazza Bildt believes; “our targets should be smugglers not refugees. Increase security cooperation and cooperation with third countries like Turkey. More member states should assist the Mediterranean states. The time has come to change the way we look at refugees. Yes they are a cost but in the long-term we need them. We don’t say ‘go home’, we say ‘go to work’. I am proud that Europe is a humanitarian superpower”.
An MEP mentioned that the poor and needy are on these ships. There may be one or two delinquents but are not major criminals. The major criminals are ones who fund terrorist activities. Immigration is not linked to the attacks in Paris last week, another MEP stressed, adding that she was appalled to hear some political leaders trying to gain points off of it.
EFDD MEP Laura Ferrara expressed the danger of Ghost ships to human lives. “These carriages of the sea are heading for Italy and other countries in this part of the world are not intervening. We must develop forms of cooperation to tackle illegal trafficking and protect lives. We must dismantle criminal networks and help the countries most affected by migratory flows”.
Non-aligned MEP Gilles Lebreton said that migrants are charged $8,000 per person and “the EU is shirking away from the problem. The EU doesn’t even dare call out Turkey on allowing this kind of migration. Why does it continue to pursue the membership of a country that allows this”.
Mafia networks are getting rich off the backs of these poor people, who are desperate for asylum, ALDE MEP Maite Pagazaurtundua Ruiz believes. “We need an EU policy on migration integration. We do not have a proper holistic programme”.
S&D MEP Tanja Fajon wants more solidarity between member states and more attention given to the cause of these migrants. MEP Elena Valenciano also from the S&D, said that what is happening in the Mediterranean is a huge tragedy. “This is a challenge for Europe. Criminals are making a profit off these poor people”.