The Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee held a debate on the strategic own-initiative report on migration, to be drafted by co-rapporteurs Roberta Metsola (EPP, Malta) and Kashetu Kyenge (S&D, Italy). The subject matter of the debate will be Article 80 TFEU - Solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility, including search and rescue obligations.
The debate was centred around solidarity and fair-sharing of responsibility. MEP Roberta Metsola thanked those present, stating that record numbers of rescues have been registered this week in the Mediterranean. “We tend to speak of rescues in terms of statistics however we cannot de-sensitise ourselves to images of deaths at sea. These are parents and children with lives and families and we must never forget this”.
“Coming from Malta I know how urgent the situation is and we have called on member states for more resources. This is not something that will disappear overnight. We need a continuous well-funded operation in the Mediterranean and that any mission aims at saving lives. I welcome the EU Council agreement to boost measures in this regard, however I have been around long enough to see such plans gather dust and thus I am sceptical”.
“Extra funds promised are still reportedly caught up in bureaucratic process. Some member states have responded to migration issues however others haven’t. We need to move forward, a binding-solidarity measure for sharing of migrants once a certain country threshold has been made”.
She stressed that it cannot be border countries who bear the brunt on their own. “We must show solidarity with states in the horn of Africa to aid their recovery while continuing efforts for Libya’s stability. It is only by solving issues at point of origin that we can stop the loss of so many lives to give people a future worth staying for”.
She said that solidarity must be shown with those survivors who are deserving of survivors in Europe. The report will show that a holistic approach on issues on legal routes to EU, improve return and resettlement policies, effectively implement Common EU asylum policy fight traffickers etc.
She mentioned that she hopes to see a time when member states step up to the plate and save lives, thus not needing private operations like MOAS.
Metsola spoke of the EU Commission Agenda on migration that will be presented in a few days time. “The most disappointing thing for citizens would be for us to come back with an Agenda that does not say enough with regards to all the elements we need. We cannot continue to speak without actions”.
Kashetu Kyenge said that the EU requires a binding distribution key for all migrants coming to the EU so all can be shared, stressing the need for security.
“In the short-term we require a more ambitious approach to reconcile security interest of host countries and security for migrant rights. We need respect for those who die in the Mediterranean and it is unacceptable for our sea to be considered a cemetery. The Mare Nostrum operation saved a huge number of lives in a single year and ensured that 300 human traffickers were brought before justice”.
For Triton to be successful all member states must be involved, she stressed, adding that humanitarian institutions have been calling for a shared initiative from all member states. “Human life is a principle worth defending and would like a paradigm-shift towards a proper EU immigration system based on solidarity”.
The invited speakers are Zoe Konstantopoulou, President of the Hellenic Parliament; Admiral Filippo Maria Foffi, Commander in chief of the Italian Navy; Brig. Ret’d Martin Xuereb, Director of the Migrant Offshore Aid Station and Professor Philippe De Bruycker, Migration Policy Centre/European University Institute (MPC/EUI), coordinator Odysseus network.
Italian Admiral says 3 international criminal organisations dismantled thus far
Admiral Filippo Maria Foffi, Commander in chief of the Italian Navy said that Mare Nostrum was the response to the increase migrant numbers and thus required a mass intervention. 2013 saw two tragic events, which sped up our decision and led us to launch this mission on 28 October 2013. The mission was based on the premise that one must also respond to the problem of safety at sea and shipping lanes.
“Many people were convinced that this mission contributed to the pulling factor and that more vessels would come. The truth is the number of migrants depends of the level of the crisis. The idea was to save those in danger of losing lives and to combat all forms of illegality, not only those linked to human trafficking. We are already doing this in other parts of the world, such as the fight against piracy in the Indian Ocean”.
“For success major inter-agency cooperation is required to save lives in the Mediterranean” he said. He argued that screening is conducted on land and in real time police can, through eye-witnesses, determine the crimes that could have been committed during their journey to Italy and split up persons of different ethnic groups, ensuring that vulnerable persons receive the help as needed. In 1 year, 1 month, we have dealt with 400 events. 366 individuals were arrested and 3 international criminal organisations were dismantled with cases before international court. 9 mother ships were captured while releasing smaller ones. We used submarine and aerial reconnaissance. Since the beginning of the mission we never considered this to be solution to problem of understanding illegal immigration, we considered it as an emergency response to prevent greater loss of life and in part we reached this goal. We are all focussed on the migration phenomenon and it is something that characterises all of human history".
He said the EU is exploring another mission involving fighting illegalities and conducting search and rescue operations at sea.
"We are there to mitigate loss of life at sea’” - Martin Xuereb
Martin Xuereb, Chairman of the Migrant Offshore Aid Station said that the idea came about in 2013, when the creators saw a floating jacked near Lampedusa, and were told that the person was probably “no longer with us”.
“MOAS is a 43m boat aimed at saving lives at sea. It is not enough to have your heart in the right place. We went out to sea last Saturday and received the first call for assistance. Within 12 hours we were dealing with a complex rescue involving 369 people, 45 of whom were children. The execution is complex and must be handled professionally. We do not only conduct search and rescue missions, we utilise drones and the latest technology. We have partnered with Doctors without Borders as we believe the requirements of the on-goings out at sea go beyond search and rescue, and thus we have a clinic now focusing on post-rescue care”.
“We felt the need to begin addressing the needs of those we save right from the get-go. I spoke with one of the doctors, and she told me ‘despite the cold and excitement, everyone fell asleep after being rescued’”. She asked the migrants this and they said ‘this was the first night in many months that they could sleep safely”. He stressed that MOAS works in full-cooperation with the rescue centre.
“Some had doubted our resolve and some were incredulous towards what we tried to achieve however following two days we received 150 calls in our 60 days of operations last year”.
The MOAS area of operations is quite far south in the Mediterranean. “We believe that if assistance is given early on, the likelihood of these people losing their lives at sea is greatly reduced. Last year was a test, and we rescued 3,000 people, with over 1,000 on board. The great majority disembarked on Mare Nostrum boats, coordinated by Rome”.
“Private citizens have teamed up with civil society and with industry and other contributors to send a message. ‘We know that our actions are not the solution, the solution lies in the countries of transition, origin and destination, however for those who feel compelled to attempt this perilous crossing, we are there to mitigate loss of life at sea’”.
An emotional video was shown of migrants rescued, with one saying "I was sure I was going to die, and prayed to God. They then came and saved me".
It is our duty to take up initiatives as EU representatives and make them proud of what we do
Zoe Konstantopoulou, President of the Hellenic Parliament, believes this discussion to be crucial and that LIBE cannot overlook immigration from a human rights point of view. She spoke of fundamental rights in the EU charter, the right to life, prohibition of torture and degrading punishment, the right to asylum, the right to an effective remedy and fair trial. These are core rights, international obligations that should be secured for every individual on EU soil or attempting to reach EU soil.
Over the past 5 years Greece has become a country of origin for Migration, where migrants are leaving due to the terrible crisis that has struck our country. We were heavily affected by the austerity regime. Many experts are leaving Greece as it is impossible for them to live a dignified life in their own country. It is very important to bear in mind these elements when discussing solidarity. Solidarity is an issue of substance.
Over the past years the Mediterranean became a graveyard. Its not just about figures, we must also speak of refugees and migrants as human beings and understand what it means to put your life on the line, get on a raft and risk losing your life if one cannot live in a country that constitutes a threat to your life and liberty.
She mentioned the shipwreck in the Adriatic Sea around Christmas 2014. The Greek citizens utilised technology to be able to follow the drama minute by minute, seeing people dying in the icy Mediterranean waters. This is the same for the silent victims and they were never able to tell their story. Parliament must give a voice and face to migrants. The Hellenic Parliament last March opened its doors to anti-racist associations and victim associations, carrying out a debate broadcast live. This was an important step in the process of de-demonising refugees and migrants, paying tribute to a young Syrian woman who, in September 2014, fought against the waves for days following her vessel’s shipwreck. In her arms she had two babies, that weren’t hers. One was saved and unfortunately the other died. This woman is a modern-day heroine and it shows that human rights are being undermined.
“This is not a technical issue or one that should be discussed in terms of jargon. Our citizens should express ourselves in human terms and be clear of these issues. We are speaking of people. Black humour has no place in this kind of situation and governments should not use this situation in inappropriate ways.
She mentioned that national and EU Parliaments must appeal to the need to respect EU conventions, making Europe a place of protection for human beings.
As for the idea of fortress Europe, she said that "the logic behind the idea of a fortress Europe is absurd which defies logic and geography".
Professor Philippe De Bruycker, Migration Policy Centre/European University Institute (MPC/EUI), coordinator Odysseus network spoke of asylum law, stating that states have an obligation to help asylum seekers arrive to European shores. “There are a number of conclusions that have not yet been implemented. Following the Lampedusa tragedies, the European Council’s recent decision makes no mention of it, thus meaning we are starting from square one again.
"Solidarity is a legal principle. Not only a moral duty, made clear under article 80 of the Treaty. It is insufficiently applied. If we finally open up a solidarity debate, we must discuss redistribution of persons, funds and resources. Not enough has been done however the level of political debate is very low," he added.
"It angers me when Ministers speak of Asylum quoting absolute rather than relative figures. Why argue that my country accepts more refugees when others, not taking into account size and economic status. We must open the debate on necessary data".
"It would be interesting to not only look at quota, however also capacity. Is it still necessary to follow the Dublin regulations when the EU Commission itself has said that it impossible to do so, this when the Commission tells us how many fish we are allowed to capture from the sea".
The launch of the discussions on this strategic report on "The situation in the Mediterranean and the need for a holistic approach to migration" in the Civil Liberties Committee took place on 14 April in the presence of the Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos, the former Prime Minister of Malta (2004 to 2013), Lawrence Gonzi, and the Latvian Parliamentary State Secretary for EU Affairs, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica.
The next two hours session on the strategic report on migration is scheduled for the meeting of 26 May. The EU Parliament has been pushing for a number of changes, including mandatory burden sharing quotas, where each country will be made to take in a number of immigrants, thus easing the pressure for countries like Italy.
Earlier today Civil Liberty MEPs argued that "EU asylum applications for unaccompanied minors should be processed in the EU country where the child is present, even if this is not where the child first applied, said Civil Liberties Committee MEPs on Wednesday. Processing where children are present is usually in their best interests, and avoids moving them unnecessarily between member states, say the committee’s amendments to the Dublin Regulation, which determines which member state should examine asylum applications.
The amendments aim to clarify Dublin Regulation rules on which member state is responsible for processing the asylum application of an unaccompanied minor. "The current regulation is not clear on this point, saying that it should be where the minor has lodged his or her application, but not whether this should be the country where the minor first applied for asylum or, in cases where more than one application is made, the country where the minor is present".
"Unaccompanied minors are very vulnerable and the best interest of the child must always come first. I am extremely happy that the committee supports this view", said Parliament's lead MEP Cecilia Wikström (ALDE, SE), adding that "The position of the European Parliament is clear: children should not be pushed around between member states". That Committee voted to give Mrs Wikström a mandate to start negotiations with member states, by 50 votes to 3, with no abstentions.