07/10/2016 (Agence Europe) – This week, the European External Action Service (EEAS) was provided by the Libyan authorities with the list of naval officers to receive training under the EU's naval operation in the central Mediterranean (EUNAVOR Med Sophia), a spokesperson of the EEAS told EUROPE on Thursday 6 October. The spokesperson went on to say that the process of background checks on these officers is already underway, with the intention of starting training as soon as possible. The list was submitted a month late. At the end of August, an EU source expressed hopes that the list would be available within four or five days. At the time, the source speculated that the training could begin at the end of September or early October (see EUROPE 11614). Elsewhere, the United Nations Security Council on Thursday extended by 12 months its authorisation for vessels sailing on the high seas off the coast of Libya to be inspected if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that these vessels are being used for the trafficking of migrants or human beings. The EU operation is authorised to carry out such inspections, amongst other things. (CG)