Thursday

30th Nov 2023

EU Parliament wants Europe to take lead on sea-rescues

The European Parliament wants Europe to carry out search-and-rescues at sea, and not leave it only to NGOs.

"We need a European search-and-rescue mechanism at sea," said EU parliament president David Sassoli on Monday (14 June).

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

"It is no longer acceptable to leave this responsibility only to NGOs," he noted, at an inter-parliamentary conference on migration and asylum.

The comments came as over 400 people were recently rescued by the Norwegian-flagged ship Geo Barents, a humanitarian ship operated by Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

A possible standoff is now underway as MSF seeks a safe port to disembark. The NGO says Malta has denied their request.

Those not rescued are often returned to Libya.

A spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration says over 1,000 people were intercepted over the weekend.

"More people have been returned so far this year than in the whole of 2020," said the spokesperson, in a tweet.

This comes on top of the 557 people intercepted and returned to Libya at the start of the month.

But Sassoli's comments also follow a wider crackdown on charity and NGO vessels operating at sea.

National authorities have initiated some 50 administrative and criminal proceedings against crew members or vessels since 2018.

Figures from December showed that out of the 15 NGO assets, only the Aita Mari and Open Arms vessels were in operation. MSF has since launched its Geo Barents operation, in mid-May.

Over 800 people have died so far this year in their attempt to cross the Mediterranean, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Sassoli's proposal comes ahead of an EU summit later this month where migration will be discussed.

But those talks are likely to narrow in on the external dimension of migration, and of shoring up support for origin and transit countries, to help prevent departures.

That includes using visas and trade as leverage to secure deals for returns, readmission and reintegration.

"The external dimension cannot be an accessory, cannot be an afterthought, it is has to be integrally interwoven at the heart of our overall thinking," said European Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas, speaking at the same conference.

"It is not a coincidence that next week the leaders of the European Union and the upcoming European Council will have exactly the same discussion," he added.

German Bundestag president Wolfgang Schäuble, also at the conference, said the EU will have no choice but to partner up with despotic regimes.

"We will only make progress if we cooperate with regimes which do not meet the same democratic standards," he said, noting the EU will have to assume the associated moral costs.

"The suffering and death on these migration routes are things we should not turn a blind eye to," he added.

Greece shouldn't have to integrate refugees, minister says

Greek migration minister Notis Mitarachi says Athens should not be required to integrate refugees, because it is provides other services such as border protection. Instead, he says they should be free to move to other EU states.

Ireland agrees to relocate 10 migrants from Italy

Last week, over 2,000 people arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa. Efforts to relocate some of them to other member states is proving tricky. Meanwhile, another 400 have been stuck on a boat for the past two days.

EU rejects UN blame for migrant sea deaths

Last week, the UN high commissioner for human rights said the EU and its member states are partly responsible for making the central Mediterranean more dangerous for asylum-seeker hopefuls. The EU rejects that - despite evidence suggesting otherwise.

Libyan detention centres must end, EU says

The EU has trained and equipped the Libyan Coast Guard. Those intercepted are then returned. Now Turkey has taken the lead, raising the stakes of possible leverage over the European Union as Ankara takes control of the route.

Europe needs to help sea rescues, say NGOs

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, along with Ecre, a Brussels-base NGO, have proposed a plan to increase sea rescues. The call comes ahead of an EU summit later this month among EU heads of state and government.

On board with SOS Méditerranée

EU talks migration over dinner, as NGO rescue-ship sets sail

Some 30 crew members boarded the Ocean Viking rescue ship in the port of Marseille on Wednesday, a full day ahead of an EU summit in Brussels where migration will be discussed over the afternoon and dinner.

Latest News

  1. What are the big money debates at COP28 UN climate summit?
  2. 'Pay or okay?' — Facebook & Instagram vs the EU
  3. EU offers Turkey upgrade, as Sweden nears Nato entry
  4. Russia loses seat on board of chemical weapons watchdog
  5. Finland's closure of Russia border likely violates asylum law
  6. The EU's 'no added sugars' fruit-juice label sleight-of-hand
  7. EU belittles Russia's Lavrov on way to Skopje talks
  8. Member states stall on EU ban on forced-labour products

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  3. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  4. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?
  5. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  6. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  3. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  4. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
  6. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us