Verslag van voorzitter Donald Tusk aan het Europees Parlement over de buitengewone Europese Raad over migratie

Introductory remarks

Last Thursday, I called a special European Council to mobilise the European Union, its Member States and its institutions, in response to the dramatic situation in the Central Mediterranean. We met four days after 800 people were lost at sea, and as you know these were not the only casualties in the last weeks. Leaders were unanimous on the need to act concretely and rapidly. A challenge in the South is not only a challenge for Southern Europe but for the whole of Europe. And we have no illusions. We are facing a difficult summer ahead.

Saving the lives of innocent people remains the priority. But this does not just include rescuing people at sea. It is also, in the short term, and maybe most importantly, about stopping the smugglers from putting thousands more lives at risk. It is about helping and engaging the migrants' home countries, the countries that they journey through, and those Member States that face the greatest migratory pressure. Finally, we must step up our combined efforts to help people who need political asylum. Leaders agreed action in four main areas.

First, we will confront the smugglers and traffickers. The people smugglers in North Africa and elsewhere are cynical, callous and often violent. They take the life savings of the desperate and leave them to drown in the sea. Worse, they deliberately place vessels in dangerous situations.

Leaders have asked the High Representative to propose actions, including a possible CSDP operation, to identify, capture and destroy the smugglers' vessels before they are used. We need to act in accordance with international law and there are many aspects still to be worked out. Member States will also step up co-operation against smuggling networks by working through Europol, and by deploying immigration officers to third countries.

Second, we agreed to triple the financial resources available to our border operations in the Mediterranean - Triton and Poseidon - and to massively strengthen their operational capability. During the European Council, more than 20 leaders pledged significant support including helicopters and surveillance planes, experts, patrol boats and naval vessels. In fact, all leaders expressed their readiness to help. This means that our operations will carry out their mandates faster and better, and save more lives.

The best way to protect people from drowning is to ensure that they do not get on the boats in the first place. Almost none of the migrants are Libyans. Therefore, we will help the countries around Libya - Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Mali and Niger among others - to monitor and control the land borders and travel routes. That means building on current CSDP operations in the region to help improve border management. It also means working more intensely within existing regional frameworks and with African partners on issues like development aid, anti-trafficking and refugee protection. Prime Minister Muscat has kindly offered to host a joint summit in Malta between the European Union and the key countries concerned.

The final element was the need to do more on refugee protection. We all know that this is a difficult and sensitive debate. Still, we made some progress. This includes the full and effective implementation of the Common European Asylum System to ensure the same standards in all Member States, an increase of emergency aid to front-line Member States, and the deployment of support teams to help process asylum claims. Leaders also agreed to set up a first voluntary pilot project on resettlement across the EU and to look at mechanisms for emergency relocation within the Union.

Leaders had no illusions last week that the current situation can be solved without stability and a working administration in Libya. We have a neighbour on our border without law and order, or a government with which to work. As long as that is the case, we must continue to respond to the situation and alleviate suffering wherever possible.

The Commission, Council and the High Representative are finalising a roadmap that sets out precise actions, an exact timetable and clear responsibility for what leaders agreed last week. On this basis, leaders will come back to the issue in June to assess progress.

Concluding remarks

The situation in the Mediterranean is deeply dramatic and frustrating for everyone. Everyone - not only in this room - but also leaders in office across Europe have been touched by this tragedy and level of human suffering involved.

Europe did not cause this calamity. It is caused by poverty, war, instability, failing states and a population boom in Africa. It is of course not acceptable that hundreds of people die when trying to cross the sea to Europe. Neither can we open our doors to everyone. That is the dilemma we must deal with in the coming months, we must manage it as best and as humanely as possible. There are longer term solutions to these problems, such as more targeted development aids, but for now our efforts were focused on saving lives.

We are increasing immediately the search and rescue capacity of EU border operations in the Mediterranean. Take a look at where Triton exactly has carried out rescue operations. You will see how close to Libya they have been already. The scope of these missions is going to increase in line with the massive increase in resources. And Frontex will, in the next days, discuss with the Italian authorities about enlarging the main patrol area.

We are going after the smugglers, who are the real culprits, in fact criminals and have already sent an important message about our readiness to act.

We are getting serious about co-operation with countries of origin and transit, including by inviting the relevant African leaders to a summit in Malta.

And we have advanced the difficult debate over resettlement, relocation and the need to have a better functioning European asylum system.

Dear colleagues, according to many interventions, our meeting last week decided too little. Prime Minister Renzi said after the meeting, and I quote, "Europe has shown serious commitment. For the first time, there is a shared strategic approach.". Similarly, Joseph Muscat i of Malta also said "There is a new sense of resolve. What happened last week definitely changed the mood in the European Council and in Member States.". In this case, I will respect the opinions of the leaders in the countries most affected. Thank you