Ylva Johansson – Photo © European Union 2023
(BRUSSELS) – The EU Commission presented plans Wednesday for a sustainable European migration management system, which would prevent ‘irregular’ departures, combat smuggling and provide legal pathways.
The EU Action Plan for the Eastern Mediterranean sets out 29 targeted operational measures aiming at addressing migration management along this route, along 4 main areas.
1. Preventing irregular departures, combatting migrant smuggling and providing legal migration pathways, by:
- strengthening cooperation with countries of origin and transit in Asia and Africa and Türkiye to counter migrant smuggling;
- implementing the measures of the toolbox on transport operators;
- creating opportunities for legal migration, including through Talent Partnerships;
- sustained efforts for the resettlement of refugees in need of international protection;
- enhancing cooperation between EUROPOL, Frontex and EUROJUST.
2. Reinforcing effective border management along the Eastern Mediterranean route, including in countries of origin and transit, by:
- supporting border management capacities on Türkiye’s eastern borders;
- reinforcing and improving border management and control, including at the EU external land and sea borders;
- stepping up regional cooperation with partners in the Southern Neighbourhood;
- fostering the renewal of cooperation between Frontex and Türkiye;
- improving situational awareness at the sea borders, in cooperation with Frontex.
3. Strengthening cooperation on returns and readmission with countries of origin and transit. The EU will therefore:
- continue to engage with Türkiye to promote the full and effective implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement and the EU-Turkey readmission agreement;
- step up the returns from the EU;
- coordinate joint diplomatic outreach vis-à-vis third countries of origin and transit, in particular in South Asia and in Africa.
4. Ensuring efficient migration management, improve asylum procedures and support sufficient reception capacity, by:
- supporting Member States in providing adequate reception capacity for children and adults;
- ensuring that sufficient national resources are devoted to migration management;
- accelerating the implementation of the Voluntary Solidarity Mechanism relocation transfers;
- continuing cooperation with Türkiye on strengthening its asylum and reception systems.
“This Action Plan on the Eastern Mediterranean migration route is the latest part of our commitment to meet the challenges of irregular migration in an operational way,” said Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson. She added that the actions under the plan “will improve border management, support return and readmission cooperation, and improve reception capacities.”
Action Plan on the Western Mediterranean and Atlantic routes
Action Plan on the Western Balkans
