AYS News Digest 18/10/23: European Commission releases an EU Action Plan for the Eastern Mediterranean Migration Route
Gaza — updates, resources & further reading // SOS Humanity — 88 individuals still unable to disembark at the port in Bari, Italy // Italy has increased its border control temporarily on border with Slovenia // The ban on food distributions in French cities has been lifted // Investigation into the June Pylos shipwreck has won the 2023 EP Journalism Prize // and more…
FEATURE//
EU Action Plan for the Eastern Mediterranean Migration Route
This plan, published on 18 October 23, aims to tackle irregular migration on the Eastern Mediterranean, complimenting the measures already put in place in the Western Balkans, the Central and Western Mediterranean routes and the Atlantic routes. A large part is also to reduce the pressures on different Member states along migratory routes, such as, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria.
The main focus areas of this Action Plan include;
- Preventing irregular departures
- Combatting the smuggling of migrants
- Strengthening border management
- Enhancing return and readmission cooperation
- Ensuring effective migration management, improved asylum procedures and sufficient reception capacity
- Providing legal migration pathways
The Commission groups three areas together; preventing irregular departures, smuggling of migrants, and providing legal pathways. In order to tackle these, they aim to strengthen their relations with countries of origin and transit. They list many existing co-operations that help tackling smuggling and trafficking, and they refer to several new ideas that may be implemented in countries such as Bangladesh and Pakistan. The EU-Turkey deal is crucial here as well, as the Commission plans to develop and continue to expand on their cooperation, which currently is the main migratory framework in the region. EUROPOL, Frontex, EUROJUST will also all play important roles in this new plan.
By putting these three points together, it inevitably suggests that the Commission sees similarities in these areas and therefore similarities in the response and strategies needed. Unsurprisingly, there is so much more focus on security, and surveillance measures to stop trafficking and very little on creating safe routes and developing protective measures for asylum seekers — seen in only the last four points i.e. points 8–11. It is of course very important to tackle trafficking and smuggling, however, by connecting this issue with that of irregular departures and safe and legal routes, the latter points are not properly addressed: they are positioned within very negative discourse, and not at the centre of the discussion.
The following two sections focus on heightening border management and security, and enhancing return and readmission.
The last point addresses reception and migration management:
The Commission, together with EU Agencies that provide support on the ground, cooperates closely with Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria to provide a coordinated response to migration challenges and establish an efficient, effective and future-proof migration management system at national level. In September 2020, the Commission, EU Agencies and Greece signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the joint Pilot for the construction of reception facilities on the islands. Similarly, in February 2022, the Commission and the EU agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Cyprus to significantly step up support to improve migration management. The joint Pilot with Bulgaria also focuses on the implementation of swift asylum and return procedures, with the support of the relevant EU Agencies. Moreover, the Commission supports third countries of origin and transit along the route to improve their asylum and reception systems.
The Plan refers to the new closed camps set up in Greece, and three centres set up in Cyprus. The Commission aims to improve the efficiency of asylum and return procedures, as well as the reception capacity for both children and adults.
GAZA
Devastating updates, videos and images of the destruction of hospitals, schools, refugee camps, as well as further reading on Israeli occupation
Further reading:
- The Occupation of Water — The Occupation of Water — Amnesty International
- Interactive timeline/history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since 1799 — Palestine Remix (aljazeera.com)
- Israel-Hamas war: As protesters throwing stones are shot by Israeli snipers, this is part of ‘normal’ life for the West Bank | World News | Sky News
- Protests erupt over ‘horrific scenes’ of Palestinians in Gaza — The New York Times (nytimes.com)
SEA/SAR
Civil Fleet Podcast
SOS Humanity — 88 individuals still unable to disembark at the port in Bari
How you can support civilian sea rescue:
ITALY
Italy has increased its border control temporarily on the border with Slovenia
Raise of the threat of violence within the EU following the attack on Israel, risk of possible terrorist infiltration, constant migratory pressure by sea and by land, increase in the Central Mediterranean migratory flow; land border with Slovenia. — Temporary Reintroduction of Border Control (europa.eu)
Slovenia already implemented stricter border controls with Croatia as of the end of September, and have stated they will be increasing internal border controls by the end of this month. The Croatian Ministry of the Interior has responded stating that they will be monitoring the situation and any developments.
Denmark, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, and Poland are among other countries that currently have heightened border control in place partly due to irregular migration.
The European Commission emphasises the fact that temporary heightened border control should only be used as a last resort when there is a critical risk to national security.
FRANCE
The ban on food distributions in French cities has been lifted
Utopia 56 along with over 20 organisations campaigned against this ban that prevented organisations from distributing food to those in need. 3.5 million people in France do not have the means and/or the access to feed themselves. Asylum seekers and refugees are often among those who rely on such distributions, when they are not being provided adequate care and protection by the State.
You can read more here: Ban on food distribution in Paris: feeding wandering and isolation | The Club (mediapart.fr)
GERMANY
The AfD argue the Government should not be funding sea rescue missions
They claim that NGOs working at sea are allowing traffickers and smugglers to continue putting individual lives in danger because the NGO ships are rescuing boats miles before they even come close to reaching European shores. Their argument is that this means NGO ships are making it easier and potentially safer as individuals don’t need to travel as far across the sea before they reach safety. They further argue the government should launch a campaign addressing the dangers of attempting to cross to Europe.
GENERAL
Investigation into the June Pylos shipwreck has won the 2023 EP Journalism Prize
The joint investigation by the Greek investigative outlet Solomon, in collaboration with Forensis, the German public broadcaster StrgF/ARD, and the British newspaper The Guardian revealed how the deadliest migrant shipwreck in recent history happened as a result of the actions taken by the Greek Coast Guard. It also reveals inconsistencies in the Greek authorities’ official accounts.
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