Press Release: Lampedusa follow up: concrete actions to prevent loss of life in the Mediterranean and better address migratory and asylum flows

On 4 December 2013, the European Commission proposed ways to increase solidarity and mutual support in order to prevent migrants' death in the Mediterranean. The tragedy in Lampedusa, one of the many Europe has witnessed in recent years, prompted an unprecedented call for action by EU leaders and citizens.

Actions proposed are the result of the work carried out by the Commission chaired Task Force for the Mediterranean, with the aim to bolster EU's policies and tools in the short to medium term.

The task force identified five main areas of action which will be pursued actively during the coming months:

– Actions in cooperation with third countries.
– Regional protection, resettlement and reinforced legal avenues to Europe.
– Fight against trafficking, smuggling and organised crime.
– Reinforced border surveillance contributing to enhancing maritime situational picture and to the protection of saving of lives of migrants in the Mediterranean.
– Assistance and solidarity with member states dealing with high migration pressure.

ESO: Background information: Lampedusa is wake-up call for EU immigration policy, church says http://www.europeansources.info/record/lampedusa-is-wake-up-call-for-eu-immigration-policy-church-says/

ESO: Background information: Memo: EU action in the fields of migration and asylum http://www.europeansources.info/record/memo-eu-action-in-the-fields-of-migration-and-asylum/

EUObserver, 04.12.13: EU countries offered €6,000 per head to take in refugees http://euobserver.com/justice/122351

BBC News, 04.12.13: EU moves to prevent new migrant deaths after Lampedusa http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25215691

Council of the European Union: Press Release, PRES/13/542: Task Force Mediterranean http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/jha/139937.pdf

Spiegel Online International, 10.12.13: Post-Lampedusa: Hopes Dashed for New EU Asylum Policy http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/eu-agreement-with-turkey-dashes-hopes-for-new-asylum-policy-a-938091.html

EurActiv, 18.12.13: EU wary of using development aid to contain migration http://www.euractiv.com/development-policy/eu-wonders-aid-refocused-contain-news-532411

---