Hundreds of migrants drowned off the coast of Greece in June. The EU Parliament is now taking the consequences: It passed a resolution in which, among other things, more ships and equipment to rescue people are required.
After the recent boat accident in Greece that killed hundreds, the European Parliament is calling for more effective operations to rescue more refugees from distress at sea.
The EU countries and the European border protection agency Frontex should provide enough ships, equipment and personnel for a “proactive and coordinated approach” to saving human lives, according to a resolution that has now been passed.
Evaluation of cooperation with third countries
The EU Commission must examine the allegations of serious violations of fundamental rights by the Libyan coast guard and, if necessary, end the cooperation, it said. In addition, cooperation with countries outside the EU should be made dependent on them fighting human traffickers and people smugglers.
Safe and legal escape routes are the best way to avoid casualties at sea, MEPs said. People in third countries should also be given more information about how dangerous the sea route to Europe is.
Many migrants attempt life-threatening crossings to Europe in often unseaworthy boats. There are always serious boat accidents. In mid-June, for example, hundreds of migrants who wanted to cross from Libya to Italy drowned when a completely overcrowded fishing cutter sank around 50 nautical miles off the Greek coast.
Sea rescuers lodge a complaint against Italian law
Meanwhile, five non-governmental organizations have lodged a complaint with the EU Commission about an Italian law on sea rescue. The organizations see a contradiction in international and EU law here, as announced by the organization Oxfam Italia, among others. With the complaint they ask the Commission to review the law.
Since March, civil sea rescuers have had to go to a port assigned to them immediately after a rescue operation in the Italian Mediterranean and are not allowed to take in any more migrants on the open sea. According to her, the Italian authorities often assign the rescue ships to distant ports – often in northern Italy. As a result, the organizations off the coasts of southern Italy are less present.
The long journeys also increased the risks for the physical and mental health of the rescued people on board as well as the fuel costs for the sea rescuers. In addition to Oxfam Italia, the five organizations include SOS Humanity, Doctors Without Borders, Association for Juridical Studies on Immigration and Emergency.