Ahead of the Malta Summit: Better managing migration in the Central Mediterranean

Ahead of the meeting of EU Heads of State and Government in Malta on 3 February 2017, the Commission presented its contribution on how to better manage migration and save lives along the Central Mediterranean route.

Managing migration along the Central Mediterranean Route

The European Commission presented today a number of additional measures to strengthen the work along the Central Mediterranean migration route, including with and around Libya. With the high number of lives lost at sea and along the Central Mediterranean migration route, the question of managing flows and saving lives remains a top priority for the European Union. The Joint Communication presented today outlines possible short and medium term actions to address migration in relation to the Central Mediterranean in a comprehensive way.

The proposed actions include:

• - 

  Reducing the number of crossings and saving lives at sea
• - 

  Stepping up the fight against smugglers and traffickers
• - 

  Protecting migrants, increasing resettlement and promoting assisted voluntary return
• - 

  Managing migrant flows through the southern Libyan border
• - 

  Increased cooperation with Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria
• - 

  Stepping up funding

The success of these actions requires close cooperation with the relevant partners in North Africa and concerted efforts by EU institutions, Member States, as well as cooperation with International Organisations like the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). These actions should be seen as complementary to the substantial amount of initiatives already being implemented by the EU and its Member States, notably under the European Agenda on Migration and the Migration Partnership Framework.

European Border and Coast Guard Agency

The European Commission also took stock of the progress achieved and the work still needed in making the new European Border and Coast Guard Agency fully operational. Three months after the launch of the Agency, important steps have been completed, including the setting up of mandatory rapid reaction pools for border guards and equipment and the launch of new pools for return intervention teams. Currently, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency has more than 1,550 officers deployed to support Member States who have the primary role and competence in reinforcing the controls at the external border, complementing their existing national capacities of Member States.

The Commission recommended the Council authorise the opening of negotiations with Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to allow for carrying out operational activities on their territory which may imply the deployment of European Border and Coast Guard teams to both countries.

Back to Schengen

The European Commission has today recommended the Council allows Member States to maintain the temporary controls currently in place at certain internal Schengen borders in Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway for a further period of three months.

Fourth progress report towards an effective and genuine Security Union

Moreover, the Commission presented its fourth report on the progress made towards building an effective and genuine Security Union. This month's report highlights key developments in four areas: information systems and interoperability, soft target protection, cyber threat and data protection in the context of criminal investigations. The report also outlines some of the upcoming initiatives aimed at further strengthening the EU's defence and resilience against terrorism and organised crime.

Cooperation and Verification Mechanism for Bulgaria and Romania

Finally, the Commission issued today its latest reports in the context of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) applied toBulgaria and Romania. After 10 years of the CVM, the Commission took stock of steps taken on judicial reform and the fight against corruption and in the case of Bulgaria on organised crime.