Asked what new techniques and forms of cooperation are being developed in order to tackle and counter terrorism, he said: “The EU has come a long way on security cooperation. Since April 2016 we are working on the basis of creating a genuine and effective Security Union – something which would have been unthinkable a few years ago”.
“Now we have, for example, the European Counter Terrorism Centre with Europol, which has facilitated the information exchange between Member States. We will strengthen the Centre further, and bring it even closer to the operational action in the Member States. We also put in place, in record time, the European Border and Coast Guard to strengthen our external border. We presented numerous measures to better connect the dots, from rehauling our information systems, to Directives on terrorism and firearms, to systematic checks at the external borders for EU citizens, to beefing up the Radicalisation Awareness Network into a centre of excellence”.
He explained that the biggest challenge in all of this was the initial lack of trust. “But terrorism knows no borders – so neither should our approach. Fragmentation makes us vulnerable, and it is only as a Union, and through an effective Security Union, that we can effectively prevent and fight terrorism”.
The fear of Islam is still present in Europe, what measures do you think need to be taken in order to further increase understanding and integration?
In times like today, it is important to recognize but also address citizens' fears – and not contribute to them. Islam has a long historical presence in Europe, and so have migrants from all over the world, including Muslim migrants. The EU is a tolerant, open and diverse society –and it should continue to be so. However, our tolerance can never come at the expense of our values, our freedoms, or ultimately our security.
Investing in integration is critical if we want to maintain and improve our social cohesion – all the way from access to education, employment, basic services, to overall active participation and respect for EU values. The EU is supporting Member States in all their efforts, financially through various EU funds but also operationally. Through the European Integration Network there is now stronger coordination and exchange between Member States on integration issues.
But the most important challenge now is that Member States prioritize and invest more in integration efforts, particularly in the fields of education, employment and language learning, not just for those who have recently arrived, but also those migrants that have been in the EU for a while. Because the cost of not integrating may turn out to be much higher than the cost of that investment made now.
What is your visit to Malta about?
Malta is taking up the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in January 2017. This is a decisive moment for the EU with a lot of challenges and opportunities. Malta will have an important role to play. Now here in Malta it is the right moment to discuss our shared priorities, opportunities and challenges in view of the upcoming Presidency.
Malta has played a very European and responsible role in contributing to the management of the refugee crisis – not just now but also with past migratory flows. Malta and the EU are important partners, and I look forward to continuing our strong cooperation in the coming months.
The number of migrants relocated from Italy and Greece is still low. Is there any hope for the EU to unify and keep its pledge, or do you think this delay would result in countries wanting to go at it alone, with possibly Greece and Italy taking stronger stances on migration?
More than 6600 persons in need of international protection have been relocated so far, more than 5100 from Greece and around 1500 from Italy. In the last weeks and months we have seen stronger efforts from Member States.
What is most important now is not to slow down, and continue these efforts. Relocation is an essential element of our comprehensive migration policy – and one which has been decided collectively, and should be carried out collectively. I continue to remind all Member States of this, and have recently sent a letter to all ministers of interior reminding them of their overall obligations in this refugee crisis.
The challenges of the refugee crisis transcend national borders. No country can manage this alone. This is why a real European and joint approach is the only way forward.
What are the main concerns regarding Brexit for sectors under your remit?
We have been very clear on this. The Commission will not engage in preparatory discussions with the UK authorities before the notification of Article 50 is made to the European Council. There can be no negotiation without notification, and no discussion on implications on any policy area.
What is the EU doing to protect lone child migrants? And what happens to them once they reach EU shores?
I recently spoke about this issue in the European Parliament. Protection of children is a central priority for the Commission in our overall migration policy, particularly when they are unaccompanied and vulnerable.
The EU has many legislative and operational tools in place, from facilitating their reunification with family members, improving their reception capacities, to ensuring guardianship. The biggest challenge is ensuring that all these rights and protections are fully and adequately applied everywhere in the EU. The Commission is actively monitoring and addressing any gaps in close collaboration with the member states, civil society organisations and relevant stakeholders.
Concretely, what success has the EU seen in getting rid of human traffickers?
Both trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants is something the EU is actively engaged in combatting. While progress has been made, we have to remain vigilant. Traffickers and smugglers change their way of operating.
With the adoption of the Anti-Trafficking Directive and the EU Anti-Trafficking Strategy, Member States have been stepping up their efforts to effectively contribute to the prevention and combatting of this crime as well as providing adequate protection and assistance to the victims.
In addition, through our Action Plan against Smuggling, our naval operations such as Sophia in the Mediterranean and our collaboration with NATO, but also our overall EU-Turkey Statement, we are breaking both the business model and the operations of unscrupulous smugglers putting at risk the lives of vulnerable people.
However, more must be done on the ground, and also in collaboration with third countries, to fully eradicate the business model of migrant smugglers, to continue arresting and prosecuting as well as exchanging information. Our cooperation with Europol is essential for this.
Given the 11th October 2013 tragedy, and that Italian navy officers are facing prosecution over the drowning of some 300 asylum seekers after the officers failed to respond promptly to SOS calls in a rescue mission in Maltese territorial waters, do you believe there should be an investigation in Malta and should there be some form of prosecution here in Malta?
First of all, let me say that search and rescue operations, including deciding on internal investigations in case of incidents, fall under the responsibility of Member States, who are of course bound by international law. Therefore, it is up to the competent national authorities to decide on how to handle the follow up to the 2013 case.
More generally, the tragic events of 2013 were a wake-up call for Europe and, at EU level, we did a lot in the recent past to reduce the number of casualties. We have boosted the support for Frontex, both financially and in terms of human resources. The agency has become the European Border and Coast Guard and our presence at sea has been enhanced. Saving lives and preventing human tragedies remains one of the main priorities for this Commission. Since 2015, EU operations in the Mediterranean have contributed to saving more than 400.000 people.
According to reports, this year has become the deadliest yet for migrants crossing the Mediterranean. This shows that not enough is being done in the Mediterranean to save lives. Is the EU failing in this regard, and what would you propose to solve this issue and prevent deaths in the Mediterranean?
Every life lost at sea is one too many.
On the Eastern-Mediterranean side we have the EU-Turkey Statement which has led to a drastic reduction in both arrivals but also deaths. In parallel, the EU has adopted a new Partnership Framework with priority countries in Africa to manage migration better, and to reduce the irregular migration flows – and people risking their lives – in the Central Mediterranean. This comes on top of our actions to fight migrant smugglers through the EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophie off the coast of Libya, and our cooperation with NATO in the Aegean.
Let there be no mistake: saving lives is a central pillar in the EU's comprehensive migration policy.
Given the tensions between Russia, the USA and certain EU countries, what measures would you recommend to reduce the tension?
If we want to truly address migration challenges, we must address the root causes: and that means the instability in the region. The EU is working with all its international partners towards peace and stability in both Syria but also Libya.