On Tuesday 25 July, the European Union expanded and extended the EunavforMed Sophia operation until 31 December 2018. The objective of this operation is to dismantle the business model of smugglers and human traffickers in the central Mediterranean.
Operation Sophia will now conduct new monitoring activities and will collect information on the trafficking of illicit oil exports from Libya. The operation already contributes to the implementation of the United Nations arms embargo off the Libyan coast in international waters.
The EU also decided to enhance the possibilities for sharing information on human trafficking with member states' law enforcement agencies, Frontex and Europol.
In addition, the EU decided to set up a monitoring mechanism for the Libyan coastguards who have received Sophia training so that this training can be effective in the long term.
Many NGOs, as well as the former UN special envoy Martin Kobler, have criticised the work of the Libyan coastguards, who push migrants back by putting them into the water (see EUROPE 11812).
"In the coming days, we will start the revision of the operational plan in order to include the new tasks, such as the mechanism for monitoring the Libyan Coastguard and Navy activities post training, and to strengthen the effectiveness of the mission and the shared responsibility among member states", High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini stated in a press release.
Italian reservations lifted. The prolongation of the mandate was delayed due to Italy's reservations, as the country wanted to protest against the lack of solidarity from other member states in the migration crisis.
Rome reportedly wanted to have the disembarkation rules changed which currently mean that migrants/refugees within the Sophia Operation framework are taken to Italy. However, it was unsuccessful in having this change made.
Working with the European Commission, the Italian authorities are currently developing a code of conduct, which NGOs active in the central Mediterranean find controversial (see EUROPE 11833). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)