Ten point action plan on migration: Joint Foreign and Home Affairs Council

EU News 104/2015

Luxembourg, 20 April 2015
IP/15/4813

At a joint meeting of Foreign and Interior Ministers, chaired by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and held in Luxembourg, Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Commissioner Avramopoulous presented a 10 point plan of the immediate actions to be taken in response to the crisis situation in the Mediterranean. The plan received the full backing of Foreign and Interior Ministers.

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Ten points

- Reinforce the Joint Operations in the Mediterranean, namely Triton and Poseidon, by increasing the financial resources and the number of assets. We will also extend their operational area, allowing us to intervene further, within the mandate of Frontex;

- A systematic effort to capture and destroy vessels used by the smugglers. The positive results obtained with the Atalanta operation should inspire us to similar operations against smugglers in the Mediterranean;

- EUROPOL, FRONTEX, EASO and EUROJUST will meet regularly and work closely to gather information on smugglers modus operandi, to trace their funds and to assist in their investigation;

- EASO to deploy teams in Italy and Greece for joint processing of asylum applications;

- Member States to ensure fingerprinting of all migrants;

- Consider options for an emergency relocation mechanism;

- A EU wide voluntary pilot project on resettlement, offering a number of places to persons in need of protection;

- Establish a new return programme for rapid return of irregular migrants coordinated by Frontex from frontline Member States;

- Engagement with countries surrounding Libya through a joined effort between the Commission and the EEAS; initiatives in Niger have to be stepped up.

- Deploy Immigration Liaison Officers (ILO) in key third countries, to gather intelligence on migratory flows and strengthen the role of the EU Delegations.

Source and additional information:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-4813_en.htm?locale=en

Extraordinary Foreign and Home Affairs Ministers Meeting. From left to right: Mr Rihards KOZLOVSKIS, Latvian Minister for the Interior; Ms. Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; Mr Dimitrios AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the European Commission. Shoot location: Luxembourg - BELGIUM Shoot date: 20/04/2015 Source: Council of the European Union (C)EU, 2015 URL

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