Meeting at the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday 17 July, the EU's foreign ministers are expected to adopt further measures against migrant smugglers in Libya. According to several sources, the ministers are expected "to establish restrictions on exporting certain products from Libya that are likely to be used to facilitate the illicit trafficking of migrants and human trafficking, especially inflatable dinghies and outboard motors". These dinghies and motors are used to transport migrants from the Libyan coast to the EU.
According to a European source, the member states have also decided to examine how they can impose individual sanctions on smugglers. While the list of people to be sanctioned still has to be developed, this source said that such a measure was important because migrant trafficking generates "considerable income".
The ministers are also expected to renew the EUBAM Libya mandate until 31 December 2017 (see EUROPE 11829). The EU is soon expected to deploy a fact-finding mission to the south of the country in order to see what can be done in terms of fighting against migration. However, according to a European source, it will not be possible to conduct a civilian CSDP operation because this is "unrealistic" from a security point of view.
The renewal of the EUNAVFOR Med Sophia operation may not come about on Monday due to parliamentary reservation. The operation's mandate runs until the end of July.
During the Council, the ministers will discuss the political and security situation in Libya more broadly, and they are expected to adopt conclusions. They could also discuss the aid that the EU could provide for the new UN special envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salamé, who will take up office on 1 August. "Without a political solution in Libya, there won't be a solution for migration either", a European source stated. Migration will be the subject of discussion over lunch too, to be attended also by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and the director general of the International Organisation for Migration, William Lacy Swing.
Iraq, North Korea and global strategy on ministers' agenda
Without debate, the ministers will adopt the crisis management concept for a civilian CSDP mission in support of the security sector in Iraq. The mission, which should focus more on advisory activities than on training, is expected to be deployed to Baghdad in the autumn and, according to a European source, is expected to comprise around 20 men. High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini will also give a brief update on the situation in Mosul and Raqqa.
The Council (in a restricted format) will discuss the situation in North Korea, with the country having carried out a new ballistic missile trial on 4 July (see EUROPE 11823). The ministers could also discuss how to bring about change in the behaviour of the North Korean regime. According to several sources, the member states are divided on this. While some swear only by the sanctions regime, other are said to be more open to a dual approach of both sanctions and, when possible, a dialogue with Pyongyang. "Our hope is that the EU might be able to play a role. But, we mustn't give the impression we are ready for discussion until the North Korean authorities have committed to the path of abandoning their ballistic and nuclear programmes. The EU will not submit to discussions that could be exploited by the North Koreans", a European source summed up.
The global strategy will also be one of the items on the agenda. The ministers are expected to discuss the priorities for the year ahead, and the Council might study the possibilities of strengthening the EU's action for global governance, especially the United Nations and regional orders of cooperation. The Council is also expected to adopt, without debate, the EU's priorities at the UN and for the UN's 72nd general assembly.
Mogherini may also make a few comments on the future EU-CELAC summit to be held at the end of October, and on the situation in Venezuela. (Original version in French Camille-Cerise Gessant)