The College of Commissioners today set out a set of priority actions to be taken within the next six months, read the Communication by European Commission. President Jean-Claude Juncker said: “The decision to relocate 160,000 people from the most affected Member States is a historic first and a genuine, laudable expression of European solidarity. It cannot be the end of the story, however. It is time for further, bold, determined and concerted action by the European Union, by its institutions and by all its Member States.” The Communication outlines immediate operational measures, budgetary support, the implementation of EU law, as well as mid-term objectives as part of the comprehensive approach of the European Agenda on Migration.
Europe’s response has been comprehensive and decisive in the past months. Commission states that: “We tripled our presence at sea, increasing three fold the resources and assets available for Frontex Joint Operations Poseidon and Triton. Over 122,000 lives have been saved since then. Every life lost is one too many, but many more have been rescued that would have been lost otherwise – an increase of 250%.
Also, Commission points out that they have mobilised EU funding in support of the most affected Member States – allocating over €70 million in emergency funding, on top of the €7 billion in multiannual funding allocated to Member States over the period from 2014-20 to support their efforts in the field of migration and border management.
We have redoubled our efforts to tackle smugglers and dismantle human trafficker groups. As a result, the Central Mediterranean route has stabilised at around 115,000 arriving during the month of August, the same as last year, Communication states, inter alia, and reminds that yesterday Member States demonstrated solidarity and agreed to relocate 160,000 people in clear need of international protection from the Member States most affected to other EU Member States.
Priority Actions for the Next 6 Months to support Member States managing exceptional numbers of refugees on their territory. This requires action both inside and outside the EU and Commission proposes a set of measures, including: full roll-out of the relocation schemes and Migration Management Support Teams working in hotspot areas, Civil Protection Mechanism or Rapid Border Intervention Teams, Normalisation of the Schengen area and lifting internal border controls:
Commission is committed to increase the emergency funding for the most affected Member States. The emergency funding available under the EU budget in this area has already been doubled this year, to reach €73 million which has already been exhausted. The Commission will come forward next week with a proposal to add €100 million to this budget for 2015. Also, Commission will propose rise in funding for the three relevant EU agencies, restoring funding for food aid via the World Food Programme to 2014 levels, and increase in humanitarian aid by €300 million in 2016 to be ready to help refugees’ essential needs like food and shelter. Commission will propose next week to reinforce the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) in 2015 by €300 million to allow an increase of the EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian crisis and provide assistance to third countries hosting refugees from Syria, reads the Communication by European Commission.
