In their conclusions on Friday 23 June, the heads of state and government are expected to call for the training and equipment of the Libyan Coast Guard to be speeded up.
In a copy of the draft conclusions obtained by EUROPE on 19 June, it is emphasised that, “the training and equipment of the Libyan coastguard is a key component in the EU’s approach (in terms of migration) and should be speeded up”. In his letter of invitation to leaders, the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, highlighted the importance of financing the Coast Guard, which, he said had stopped more than 100 traffickers and had put out of action more than 400 of their embarkation points. He explained, “I do not see why we cannot have greater financial responsibility for Libyan Coast Guard operations. These are our allies in the fight against the traffickers”. He added, “at a working level, some representatives (from the member states) have not taken the necessary decisions in this regard”.
According to one European source, it is necessary to strengthen the Libyan state whose Coast Guard is one of the components of this state. The source added, “no one has any illusions about it, if a state is not functioning, it is very unlikely that its Coast Guard will function but this is a very lengthy endeavour and we are not there to distribute blank checks”.
This is because EU action has been subject to significant criticism, particularly by the UN Special Envoy for Libya, Martin Kobler, who denounced the returns operated by the Libyan coastguard boats and targeting of migrants’ boat launches (see EUROPE 11812). One European source explained to EUROPE that the Libyans already had certain resources but that they were poorly organised. She added, “this means that it is difficult to identify what they need”. She also said that the Libyans had handed the EU, “extremely long lists with certain factors that give rise to whether they will be used against traffickers or for another purpose”, hinting that this could be military (see EUROPE 11776).
Before examining migration (see other article) the leaders will hold discussions during their dinner on Thursday 22 on EU relations with international partners. Therefore, the presidents of the European Council and European Commission are expected to provide reports about their meetings on 25 May last, with the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the US President, Donald Trump (see EUROPE 11796). Although, according to one European source, there is no question of making the dinner into a “European Council on Turkey”, some member states would like to discuss the relationship with Ankara. As is customary with the approach of the expiry of economic sanctions against Russia over the Ukrainian crisis, the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the French President, Emmanuel Macron, will examine implementation of the Minsk agreements. On this basis, the leaders are expected to discuss the future of these sanctions. One European diplomat explained, “progress is very insufficient with regard to the implementation of the Minsk agreements and, due to this fact, nothing would justify the lifting or suspension of the sanctions” (see EUROPE 11776).
Continue with progress towards a Europe of defence
Before dinner, the heads of state and government will examine a question of European defence. They are expected to renew their support for setting up Permanent Structured Cooperation (PSC), that is both inclusive and ambitious, which could appear contradictory but whose aim is to satisfy all the different member states. One European diplomat said, “I think that for the first time, the will to launch this PSC exists in a short timeframe and we will probably be discussing this timetable”. This source also expressed a wish for this decision to be taken over the next few months. One European high-level source poetically summed the matter up as, “we are going to cross the Rubicon but we won’t be reaching Rome”.
The leaders are also expected to approve the fact that the deployment of battlegroups should be borne as a common cost by the Athena mechanism, “on a permanent basis”. Up till now, a decision has been taken every year on assuming the cost of the battlegroups by the EU, although no tactical group has ever been deployed due to there being no agreement between member states.
The European Council could also possibly request the swift implementation of the European Defence Funds and the European industrial development programme. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant and editorial staff)