On 5 July, the members of the European Parliament adopted by show of hands a non-binding resolution on the criminalisation of assistance provided to migrants, with Parliament calling for the EU to ensure that assisting migrants for humanitarian reasons cannot attract criminal penalties. The MEPs expressed their concern at the unforeseen consequences of European legislation on aid to migrants in an irregular situation, with certain countries - Hungary recently - having approved criminalisation measures.
According to the directive on facilitation of 2002, the member states must introduce criminal sanctions for any individual who facilitates the illegal entry, transit and residents of migrants. Parliament therefore reminds the member states that there are also exemptions in the framework of humanitarian actions and calls for them to include more in their laws.
The MEPs also send out a warning to NGOs. With the European Council asking NGOs last week to refrain from getting involved in the rescue operations of the Libyan coast guards, Parliament notes, concerning the humanitarian aid provided by individuals and NGOs through rescue operations at sea or on land, that this aid must support and complement rescue actions carried out by member states with competence. Their operations must be carried out under the control of the national authorities. For its part, the European Commission was called upon by the MEPs to clarify this 2002 law and to provide the member states with guidelines. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)