The European External Action Service proposed, in a working document transmitted to delegations on 10 November and obtained by EUROPE, to strengthen the role of civilian CSDP missions in the fight against illegal migration.
The EEAS says that increased efforts could begin with the provision of policy advice. In its view, the missions could assist host States in developing a policy to address the security challenges related to illegal immigration to and from their territories, including the fight against smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings.
The missions could also assist the State in setting up specialised units to combat illegal immigration, smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings.
Beyond advice, CSDP missions could strengthen the operational capacities of host States. This could be done by supporting specialised administrative and law enforcement units and the judiciary in the implementation of relevant policies and strategies. Strengthening the operational capacity of these units through training and projects, monitoring/mentoring/advising (MMA) or operational advice is another option.
Civilian CSDP missions could also help develop investigative methods and tools for specialised law enforcement units.
Support for State participation in regional or international cooperation mechanisms to combat smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings and the provision of support through training and awareness-raising initiatives on applicable human rights standards and gender issues in the area of migration are other possibilities.
The EEAS also promotes cooperation with other EU actors, including the Commission, Justice and Home Affairs agencies and Member States. Cooperation could also be strengthened with the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
CSDP missions could go further with executive or semi-executive functions. “A civilian CSDP mission could also be called upon to carry out, in duly justified cases and in accordance with the mission’s mandate, specific activities by local authorities to address security challenges related to irregular migration, such as smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings”, the document says.
In concrete terms, they could provide direct (executive) and/or complementary support to specialised police units in receiving States that tackle security problems related to illegal immigration or combat smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings. They could also carry out joint investigations with the State law enforcement and judicial authorities on smuggling networks and trafficking in human beings.
Lastly, “in order to prepare for the operational challenges of future CSDP missions”, the EEAS advocates the development, within the Member States, of the skills of experts capable of dealing with asylum, the rights of refugees and minors seeking asylum, law enforcement and justice experts with experience in the fight against organised crime in general and in the fight against smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings in particular, experts in migration, including at the political and strategic levels as well as experts in integrated border management. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)