While waiting for the official announcement on September 18th about the new measures that the Italian executive will take to curb the overflow of migrants in Lampedusa, Prime Minister Giorgia speaks Melons and the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen made some points in their press conference on the island.
Both stressed the need to stop “illegal immigration” on the high seas and only allow those who are considered asylum seekers to disembark.
These are the 10 points that the European Commission proposes:
1) Concrete support to Italy from Frontex, the Asylum Authority and other bodies in dealing with the crisis through the reception, registration and identification of migrants arriving on the island.
2) Intensifying EU efforts to transfer migrants from Lampedusa to other destinations, calling on member states to activate the voluntary solidarity mechanism to receive them.
3) Support the Frontex structures for returns and, to this end, intensify relations with the countries of origin.
4) Increased measures to combat human traffickers, including through strengthening legislation and greater cooperation with countries of origin and transit.
5) Intensifying air and naval surveillance by Frontex, but also examining the possibility of new naval missions, as requested by Italy.
6) Concrete measures against the logistics of human traffickers. This means ensuring that boats used for human trafficking are confiscated and destroyed.
7) The staff of the EU Asylum Agency will work with the Italian authorities and support them in speeding up the examination of applications submitted by migrants, rejecting unfounded applications and returning those who made them to their countries of origin.
8) Provide valid alternatives to illegal routes by strengthening humanitarian corridors.
9) Stronger cooperation with UN organizations (UNHCR and IOM) to always ensure the protection of migrants, even during assisted returns.
10) Achieve, as soon as possible, with Tunisia the definition of new projects to combat illegal immigration trafficking, thus achieving the release of the funds provided by the EU.
