EU solidarity on migration must be stronger

Frontex’s latest report notes the significant drop in the number of crossings on the central Mediterranean route for the third quarter of 2011. It adds that the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime brought illegal crossings from Libya to Malta to almost a standstill.

The situation in the Mediterranean is, no doubt, much less preoccupying than it used to be. However, this does not mean that one can put one’s mind at rest. The new alarm bell sounded some time ago by Libya’s Home Affairs Ministry, namely that the phenomenon of illegal immigration in the country had started again, quickly springs to mind.

The fresh happenings also led a Libyan spokesman to say that the country needs the EU to intervene, mainly to help monitor the vast Saharan borders in the south, from where hundreds of immigrants were reaching Libya over and above the thousands of people from Syria and neighbouring countries. This, in itself, says a lot.

Malta, which along with other Mediterranean EU countries knows only too well what the phenomenon of immigrants trying to cross from Libya to Europe means, has to remain on the alert and continue to strive for proper EU contribution to the coordinated response the challenge calls for.

One major concern should be to avoid loss of life as much as possible. Too many people have perished crossing the desert to Libya or the sea from Libya to the European continent. Estimates indicate that, last year alone, more than 1,500 migrants drowned or went missing in the Mediterranean.

Another crucial concern is in the form of the big pressures the migration phenomenon puts on the receiving countries.

Unfortunately, EU solidarity in this regard is not what it should be. As Cecilia Malmstrom, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, said when referring to the test European promises of solidarity with people in need went through in 2011, “it is worrying to note that Europe, collectively, did not pass the test”.

The situation lately has had a further downturn. Indeed, Danish Justice Minister Morten Boedskov noted that although solidarity had been discussed at length, there was no agreement: “I can conclude there is no support for an internal EU relocation programme suggested by the Commission. Redistribution of refugees among member states is not the solution”.

As if this were not more than enough, there was an additional blow to countries like Malta. It concerns the possibility of amending the EU’s Dublin II rules that put the responsibility for asylum applications on the first member state that migrants enter. The proposal that these regulations be suspended in the case of member states experiencing sudden influxes of irregular immigrants was dismissed.

The EU is now considering having an early warning system under the Dublin II rules to start assessing member states’ preparedness to deal with irregular immigrants and offer them the necessary assistance when needed. This is not enough.

Malta appreciates the 2009 European relocation programme and the funds provided to improve the living conditions of asylum seekers or to help in support services for people in need of international protection. However, the relocation programme has not achieved the expected results. In spite of two specific pledging initiatives organised by the European Commission, only about 10 member states decided to resettle refugees who had been in Malta. Moreover, to date, they have taken fewer than 500 persons. Ironically, the US has taken many more.

The EU’s solidarity response on migration must be stronger and more convincing.