The four prime ministers of the Visegrad countries (Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia) have assured their Italian counterpart of their support in the face of the continuing flows of migrants in the central Mediterranean. In the opinion of the Visegrad prime ministers, this support involves increased protection of the EU's external borders and not the compulsory relocation of asylum seekers who are already in Italy.
"The Visegrad countries are ready to meaningfully contribute in the spirit of solidarity to all European and national efforts aiming at alleviating the burden on frontline member states such as Italy with financial and other contributions (...) with the exclusion of actions and instruments that may create further and stronger pull factors for migration, especially in relocation and [a] compulsory and automated redistribution mechanism" for migrants, they wrote to Italy's Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Wednesday 19 July.
The four political leaders list the types of contribution they are ready to make: - contributing to EU activities on the southern borders of Libya upon request; - contributing to setting up, protecting and creating human living conditions in hotspots outside the territory of the EU; - contributing to the training of the Libyan coast guards; - contributing to the code of conduct for NGO activities in the central Mediterranean.
In a specific statement on the challenge of migration, the Visegrad countries underline that the rule obliging all member states to relocate refugees already present in Greece and Italy does not work. After two years of being in force and with two months to go until this rule expires, member states' implementation rate of it is "only 13%", they note. The four prime ministers add: "at the same time, we refuse any unfounded allegation that rejecting mandatory relocation could be regarded as a lack of solidarity".
While the European Commission is analysing the responses sent to it by Warsaw, Budapest and Prague on the infringement procedures that are currently open against them due to their insufficient relocation of asylum seekers, the Court of Justice will, on Wednesday 26 July, publish its conclusions on this rule that was adopted by qualified majority and that Hungary and Slovakia officially contest (see EUROPE 11831). Coerper could analyse these conclusions from the Advocate General.
On Wednesday, the national ambassadors to the EU (Coreper) reviewed the migration situation in central Mediterranean, focusing on the external aspects of actions aiming to relieve Italy.
"Several delegations indicated that it was important to step up work with third countries and make progress on the issue of returns", a source stated. In line with the conclusions of the last European summit, some underlined the importance of using the policy of granting visas as "a lever" in the discussions on returns and the readmission agreements with third countries and transit countries, the source added. The European Commission has promised to analyse the financial needs of the member states again.
The code of conduct for the activities of NGOs in the central Mediterranean, which Italy is writing with the Commission's support, was briefly addressed at Coreper and will be addressed again next week (see EUROPE 11830). Italy will also consult NGOs in the coming days.
In the first half of 2017, 85,000 migrants, or 21% more than in the same period in 2016, arrived in Italy, according to data from the Frontex agency. Nigerians are the most numerous, followed by nationals from Bangladesh, Guinea and the Ivory Coast.
The issue of migration pacts, which the EU is trying to negotiate with the migrants' countries of origin, will be on the agenda of the European summit in October. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)