The EU is privatizing its migrant rescue work — by default – POLITICO

The EU outsources much of its migration policy to private fleets that scour the Mediterranean waters for at-risk asylum seekers.

In recent weeks, these boats, operated by various NGOs not directly controlled by any particular government, have been the focus of an immigration frenzy. This is because countries are worried about the influx of new people and are fighting over where to put them. EU.

And increasingly, sniping at how these NGOs should operate proves a more manageable goal for authorities than harmonizing the EU’s outdated and fragmented asylum rules. ing.

On the one hand, with Italy leading a coalition of southern European countries, NGO boats are actually encouraging asylum seekers to work more closely with the (often distant) countries in which they are registered. argue that they should be connected.

On the other side are countries like Germany where some of these NGOs are registered. They fear that the countries of the South really just want to expel the NGO ships.

The EU, on the other hand, is only encouraging countries to come up with solutions, saying that the EU cannot legally make its own rules on this issue.

If countries “can develop a more structured framework, like a code of conduct, we support it.” Said Margaritis Sinas, the European Commission’s chief executive to coordinate the EU’s migration work, before meeting with the Interior Minister on Friday.

As a result, whether intentional or not, NGO boats have become de facto central to EU immigration policy, a development that has embarrassed the organization itself.

Stephanie Pope, an EU immigration expert at the humanitarian group Oxfam, said: “Outsourcing migrants is a distraction from the problem at hand, and Member States and EU institutions have continually failed… We agree to an effective division of responsibility in the mechanism. “

Growing migration concerns

NGO debates are taking place as EU asylum claims hit them. highest level of the month Diplomats are also concerned that millions more Ukrainians could be displaced as Russia attacks the country’s power grid as temperatures drop. 1.5 million Ukrainians are in Poland and over 800,000 are in Germany.

But earlier this month, attention turned to NGO boats when Italy’s new right-wing government refused to unload rescued migrants on civilian vessels. Instead the boat had to go to France, where the organization is registered.

This move caused conflict between Rome and Paris. France agreed to accept the ships, citing humanitarian concerns, but then suspended contracts to voluntarily remove asylum seekers from Italy. Both France and the European Commission have accused Rome of not complying with international law.

The issue has since led to widespread debate within the EU over the growing number of asylum seekers arriving in the Central Mediterranean from countries such as Libya and Tunisia.

Yet much of that conversation centers around NGOs.

and Joint statement Two weeks ago, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Malta accused NGOs of working in a “discoordinated manner”.

The group argued that “the modus operandi of these civilian vessels is not in the spirit of the international legal framework”. ) to be “responsible” for rescued migrants.

Germany bounced back on sentiment. Italian Ambassador Viktor Oerbling claimed on Twitter that these organizations were simply filling the void created by EU countries.

“By 2022, more than 1,300 people will already be dead or missing in the Mediterranean. murmured“12% of survivors were rescued by NGOs.”

He added: Italian officials deny this characterization, emphasizing that the Italian Coast Guard rescues the majority of endangered migrants.

Italy and immigration hardliners also accuse the NGO Boat of inherently facilitating human trafficking and possibly colluding with immigrant smugglers.

NGOs have repeatedly and categorically denied such allegations.

“Citizen Rescue Organizations have nothing to do with smugglers or their networks.” ship Active in the Central Mediterranean. “Such accusations have never been supported by evidence.”

In a written statement, Jacoby said the organization launch The German Protestant Church also claimed that people would attempt the dangerous crossing to the EU, with or without rescue ships.

“This is confirmed by evidence. Many people are fleeing across the Mediterranean even when civilian rescue vessels have not been in service for weeks,” she said.

Frontex, the EU border agency, reportedly We have raised concerns about the interactions between these organizations and immigration smugglers, but have never actually claimed collusion.

EU plans

On Friday, the European Commission announced its own Central Mediterranean.action planto the Minister of the Interior.

Among the proposals is to strengthen partnerships with Libya and Tunisia. Accelerate EU voluntary mechanisms for relocating asylum seekers within the country. Adopt guidelines for search and rescue operations at sea.

These proposals are not particularly new and demonstrate a struggle to fully address the situation.

Despite pledges to move 8,000 people, so far only 113 migrants have actually moved under the EU’s voluntary mechanisms. Also, working with countries outside the EU brings its own challenges. The EU faced similar accusations of outsourcing migration efforts in 2016 when it paid Turkey to host a large number of Syrians trying to reach the EU.

NGOs are also questioning the benefits of the new guidelines for rescue efforts.

“There is already a legal framework for salvage at sea – international maritime law,” Jacoby said. “All civilian rescue vessels comply with these laws, so no further regulations are needed for civilian rescue vessels.”