Yesterday’s European Council conclusions did not include any mention of “disembarkation platforms” in North Africa or address any specifics regarding an expanded mandate of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. Instead, a list of non-specific conclusions was agreed to. Agreed points included:
- Strengthen “cooperation with countries of origin and transit, particularly in North Africa, as part of a broader partnership”;
- Step-up “the fight against people-smuggling networks”;
- Intensify “work with third countries on investigating, apprehending and prosecuting smugglers and traffickers”;
- Establish a joint task force “at Europol’s European Migrant Smuggling Centre”;
- Improve monitoring and disruption efforts directed at “smuggling networks’ online communications”;
- “Develop a comprehensive and operational set of measures to this end by December”.
Full document here.
See also, Reuters, “EU moves closer to overcoming migration feud” and Washington Post, “EU looks to African nations, border control to stop migrants”.
MIGRANTS AT SEA 