At the informal meeting of European leaders in Salzburg on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 September, no breakthrough is expected on the migration issue or, notably, on the concept of “controlled centres” or “disembarkation platforms” for migrants. The meeting will also cover Brexit (see related article).
Further to a painstaking European summit in June (see EUROPE 12052), the EU28 will take stock of their work and seek a “constructive” approach after the “summer tension”, as requested of them by European Council President Donald Tusk, in his letter of invitation on Tuesday 18 September.
Europeans, however, have not made much progress on these two concepts, while there is a clear downward trend in migrant flows to the EU.
The most concrete “migratory” issue discussed in Salzburg could thus be more the proposal on strengthening the European coastguard and border-guard corps (Frontex) presented last week by the Commission (see EUROPE 12094).
Some present this issue as “consensual” while others find it somewhat more problematical. The sticking points of this new potential force of 10,000 coastguards (deployed by member states), deployed in crisis situations, could relate to matters of national sovereignty. At any rate, the leaders’ discussion will focus on very specific points such as the mandate and the operations of the European agency outside the EU.
“Nothing concrete” is expected in Salzburg on controlled centres for taking in migrants rescued in the Mediterranean Sea in the territorial waters of a member state, says a national diplomatic source.
Such centres – visualised end June by the EU28 – are a response to the repeated refusals by the Italian government to allow NGO or coastguard boats having rescued migrants at sea to disembark in Italian ports.
The idea consists of upstream coordination on sharing the hosting of persons rescued and to then ask the Italians – or other voluntary countries – to open their ports and to hold these persons in controlled centres for the time it takes to examine their profile. The asylum seekers would be transferred to other willing member states, while migrants not able to claim international protection would undergo procedures for their return to their country of origin.
According to one diplomatic source, between 10 and 15 member states currently support the principle and the mechanism of solidarity that accompany the system. There is a “majority” in favour, he said.
The summer has shown that some 15 countries have taken part on a case by case basis in this kind of operation. In the case of the Aquarius, which took to the sea again last weekend, countries such as Spain, France, Ireland, the Vatican and also Albania have participated in hosting migrants on a case by case basis.
Controlled centres must also provisionally be an answer to the lack of consensus on the reform of the so-called Dublin asylum system, which is still bogged down and on which divergence has grown even greater in recent weeks. The file is to return to the Council table in October.
Italy, whose attitude can be an obstacle to finding an overall solution, is the key to the discussions. Since the beginning, Rome has been calling for a system of rotation of hosting ports in member states, to share migrants rescued. Other countries, however, such as France, refuse to compromise on the principle of disembarkation in the nearest safe port, while showing themselves open to automatic sharing.
“The crux of the matter lies with Italy”, a source summed up on Monday. “It is necessary to ensure that Rome takes part in the system and agrees to normalising it”.
Other countries, such as Hungary, Austria and Denmark would, the same source says, remain opposed to any disembarkation system in the EU, including for people rescued in the waters of the member states. Those countries would maintain that this is a measure to encourage emigration towards the EU. It will be such courses of action - assimilated to migrant returns - that other member states will want to dismiss once and for all in Salzburg.
Egypt to be a model?
On the subject of “disembarkation platforms” outside the EU of migrants rescued in international or third party country waters, several meetings with third countries potentially concerned have been held in recent weeks.
However, according to Donald Tusk, it is with Egypt that talks have made the most headway. After a visit to Cairo with Chancellor Kurz, the president of the European Council announced an EU/Arab League summit early 2019.
“We should also discuss the potential to step up cooperation with Egypt, including in the area of migration”, Tusk writes in his letter of invitation. He goes on to add: “It is worth recalling that the Egyptian authorities have made the fight against smuggling and trafficking their priority. As a result, there have been no irregular departures from Egypt to Europe this year (compared to almost 13,000 in 2016)”. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic and Mathieu Bonn)