The European Union wants to work together with five North African States more closely to stem irregular Migration. “We will develop our work against trafficking through training and joint investigation teams,” announced the EU Commissioner for Ylva Johansson after a video conference. You will also take action against disinformation campaigns by criminal groups in social media.
Thomas Gutschker
Political correspondent for the European Union, Nato and the Benelux countries, based in Brussels.
F. A. Z.
At the conference, which came at the Initiative of the Italian interior Minister, Luciana Lamorgese concluded, was attended by Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania – all countries from which migrants try over the Mediterranean sea or the Canary Islands, to reach Europe. From the European side, the interior Ministers from Germany, Spain, France and Malta were also involved. Johansson said she wanted to now explore in bilateral contacts, as the cooperation could be improved, especially with Europol and the border protection Agency Frontex.
The Initiative is part of the Pact for asylum and Migration, the Commissioner for the month of September has announced. The increased cooperation with third countries was essential, she said. Criminal networks would have earned, according to estimates by Frontex alone on the Western and Central Mediterranean route in the past three years to 330 million euros, with Schleuserei. It would also be a success. Last year alone, sixty percent of the people who wanted to come with boats to Europe had been hindered. Usually this is done by the coast guards of Morocco and Libya. Morocco alone had held 70,000 people from the Crossing, said Johansson. Algeria had destroyed hundreds of criminal networks.
refugee routes move
The EU has already a lot of money for cooperation with North Africa; in the context of the trust Fund for Africa, there are 870 million euros, a third of which flows in the border management. Most of the programs with Morocco, the were says 342 million euros, and Libya (155 million Euro). For Tunisia 85 million euros are planned.
