During the plenary session of the European Parliament (11-14 June 2018), MEPs debate the humanitarian emergencies in the Mediterranean and solidarity in the EU. Statements by Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Roberta METSOLA (EPP, MT), Elena VALENCIANO (S&D, ES), Javier NART (ALDE, ES), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE) and Laura FERRARA (EFDD, IT).

TAJANI, Antonio (EPP, IT)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

migration and refugees in Europe (T)

VALENCIANO, Elena (S&D, ES)

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

NART, Javier (Renew, ES)

AVRAMOPOULOS, Dimitris (EL, EC)

FERRARA, Laura (NI, IT)

Humanitarian emergencies in the Mediterranean and solidarity in the EU: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, We are willing to compromise and look for agreements but the next European Council needs to take a decision on this, because the whole of the EU is at stake.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, I am absolutely in agreement with what you said Mr President, I&rsquo;d like to thank you and also the political groups for all your support.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, What matters most is that people in a desperate situation were saved and helped, that is what counts ultimately and always.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, This is not just an Italian issue, we expect all the member states to join forces in sharing the solidarity and responsibility in addressing this truly common challenge. This is the essence of all our efforts.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA (EPP, MT), On migration and borders the budget has been tripled and this is welcome. But in the medium term we need to think outside the box and look seriously into having EU run disembarkation locations in safe third countries outside the European Union with EU standards where anyone that is saved from the dark sea can be disembarked immediately, rescued, vetted, processed in full recognition of their rights by EASO for example, an either returned or resettled.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Elena VALENCIANO (S&amp;D, ES), The member states can&rsquo;t abandon Italy, Spain, Malta, and Greece, to manage immigration alone. This needs to be done jointly. Firstly, because we can&rsquo;t allow people to suffer in this way. Furthermore, allowing them to suffer feeds the worst fire, raises populism, xenophobia and racism. The solution is a European one and we know it.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Javier NART (ALDE, ES), We need to establish an African-based solution with the local and even tribal and religious authorities in Africa. What happens in the Mediterranean is not only a matter of rescue, it is the last link in a chain starting in Africa, so if we are not able to establish a solution at the root we will only performing a humanitarian task which alleviates our conscience.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), If Mr Salvini is really looking for European solidarity he knows what he has to do in Council: support and back Parliament&rsquo;s position. One thing is sure: by dehumanizing migrants to justify &lsquo;fortress Europe&rsquo; it is our fundamental values that we are treading underfoot.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Laura FERRARA (EFDD, IT), Let&rsquo;s begin talk about a real right of European asylum, let&rsquo;s talk about legal pathways to the EU, let&rsquo;s begin by making it possible for people fleeing war and persecution to find safe ways without being force to cross the Mediterranean in unhuman conditions and circumstances and getting to Italy as a transit country.