Maltese MEP Miriam Dalli has proposed the setting up of a European-wide diplomatic task-force for Libya.
She made the in a speech at the Strasbourg plenary session during a discussion with European Commission vice-President Federica Mogherini. who is responsible for foreign affairs.
Dr Dalli said: “I believe that we need to set up an EU diplomatic task-force to ensure that all possible avenues are explored and all potential situations covered and plans put in place.”
She proposed suggested that the eask-force should report directly to Ms Mogherini.
“We need to have preventive measures in place which can lead to the stabilisation of the current situation. This has to be done through proper planning and commitment. We also need to to work as hard as we can to see the creation of a Libyan national unity government” Dr Dalli said.
She noted that it was only by ending the current instability in Libya that one could can start to ascertain stability in the Mediterranean and in the European Union as a whole.
She referred to the fact that the current situation was leading to thousands of people attempting to cross the Mediterranean and said that if countries that were facing first hand Europe's migration issues would continue to be ignored both the Mediterranean and Europe would suffer serious repercussions.
“You cannot keep ignoring this situation and permitting this stalemate in Libya and the Mediterranean. I expect that the European Union walks its talk and puts solidarity into practice,” she insisted.
During that debate, MEP Roberta Metsola managed to add a point to this week's European Parliament plenary agenda on the situation in Libya.
Leading the calls for the debate, Dr Metsola argued that citizens needed to know what the EU's strategy on Libya was, particularly as regards the process towards a Libyan unity Government, migration and security in the entire region. Her request was accepted by a majority of MEPs and the item was a last-minute addition to the agenda.
Dr Metsola underlined that the fact that the different factions in Libya had not yet agreed on a unity government within the UN brokered talks led to security gaps that allowed terror groups to gain a foothold in the country.
"The EU has an important role to play in supporting the talks. Terrorist organisations can only be effectively defeated by a strong and united Libya. It is the Libyans themselves who must be the masters of their own destiny."
She underlined that politicians have to be careful not to paint the fight against terror as a clash of civilisations: "We would be wrong to see the fight against ISIS as a battle between religions. ISIS is not representative of Islam. This is a fight against extremists who abuse of religion as a cloak for their barbarous acts."
Dr Metsola called on the EU to be prepared for any scenario, saying that "the situation in Libya is evolving fast. Thousands of people are at the risk of being displaced and will flee the terror and violence in any way they can; migratory flows in the Mediterranean will continue to persist".
She added: "We need to have the courage to look at every instrument available that the European Union can use. This includes looking at whether it is time to deploy assets to the Mediterranean to save lives and boost security, or looking at how legislation like our Temporary Protection Directive can be best utilised to ensure the fair sharing of responsibility between member states."
Dr Metsola welcomed the fact that the issue will soon be discussed by Prime Ministers and Foreign Affairs Ministers and underlined that it must remain at the top of the EU's agenda.