MEPs discuss the EU’s capabilities for search and rescue operations of migrants at sea. In the context of the high human toll of migrant casualties at sea and the recent tragic shipwreck off the Greek coast, MEPs debate the prospect of more EU action to support rescue naval operations on the Mediterranean migration routes. Extracts from the debate.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

migration and refugees in Europe (T)

SIPPEL, Birgit (S&D, DE)

death of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea (T)

KELLER, Fabienne (Renew, FR)

MANDL, Lukas (EPP, AT)

STRIK, Tineke (Greens/EFA, NL)

JOHANSSON, Ylva (SE, EC)

NAVARRO RÍOS, Pascual Ignacio

The need on EU action on search an rescue in the Mediterranean: extracts from the debate

Title: The need on EU action on search an rescue in the Mediterranean: extracts from the debate (EbS) 

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Pascual Ignacio NAVARRO R&#205;OS, Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union, Frontline for action should always be the prevention of the perilous journeys across the Mediterranean Sea. The more people who do not begin this perilous journey, the fewer lives will be lost. And with this objective and in line with our general objective for migration, that I wish to stress the Council's commitment to the fight against trafficking gangs and smugglers, and to end its intention to dismantle the business model.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, The EU does everything in its power to support Member States on search and rescue. This year alone, Frontex helped to save 20,000 lives. The Commission relaunched the Search and Rescue Contact Group and pushes Member States to make progress, working towards a common framework on search and rescue. And in the pact, we have proposed special solidarity measures for search and rescue. Any serious attempt to saving lives has to be also include developing legal pathways and information campaigns along irregular routes to alert people of deadly dangers. We are supporting such campaigns in Morocco, in Tunisia, in Niger. In Senegal. In Mauritania. In the Gambia. But we also need to fight the smugglers, the smugglers who sold people tickets not to Europe, but to their deaths.

SOUNDBITE (German), Lukas MANDL (EPP, AT), I think we have to fight disinformation. That's why we have to have asylum procedures sped up while we have to strengthen the protection of the external borders. And we have to make it clear to the people in the countries of origin, we have to explain to people what are their genuine opportunities in Europe and how dangerous the travel is. We have to have a broad approach to fighting organised crime. They they endanger human lives. And I think this is all taken into account in this resolution.

SOUNDBITE (German), Birgit SIPPEL (S&amp;D, DE), Saving humans from drowning. And it's not a political decision. It's a humanitarian and legal obligation. I don't know how many times we and others in this House have been discussing these issues and how many times more we will have to rerun this discussion. We will not give up until the council, the member states and the Commission can finally, at long last, take the urgent approach that this challenge really deserves. The challenge and task is not all that complicated and sure that we can have coordinated European maritime rescue missions with support from Frontex. They take Mare Nostrum as inspiration for this. Yet, sadly, the thought that we have to save human rights has not made it into the conclusions of the Council.

SOUNDBITE (French), Fabienne KELLER (Renew, FR), With my group for Renew Europe, for my colleagues, I also call for the creation of a European search and rescue mission together with Member States and with Frontex cooperating with all the players involved. This mission, as you yourself said. Once again, Madam Commissioner must go hand in hand with a determined struggle against the smugglers and human traffickers. Let's stop this disgusting traffic at source, including in third countries. Let us take stringent measures to dismantle these criminal networks.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tineke STRIK (Greens/EFA, NL), The approach on search and rescue, just like the funding of the criminal and smuggling, Libyan coast guard is about deterrence of arrivals and not by the actual saving lives. Stopping impunity is the only way. So Commission, join our call for an independent investigation. Condemn Malta for letting people drown under their watch and Greece and Italy for obstructing and punishing the life saving work of NGOs. Give your guidelines against criminalisation of humanitarian aid