On Tuesday 31 January, the European Commission once again recalled the “moral and legal” obligations of Member States to rescue migrant vessels in distress and the duty of those involved to act in a “coordinated manner”.
Speaking about the Italian government’s new code of conduct for NGOs (see EUROPE 13094/19), the Commission said it was “aware of the concerns expressed” by NGOs that they would no longer be able to carry out rescue operations at sea because of the new obligations imposed by Rome.
But “the Commission is not competent” to coordinate these activities, it again insisted.
On 31 January, the Commission convened a contact group on maritime search and rescue operations which had not met since 2021. Bringing together experts from Schengen member countries and associated states, it was intended to re-launch discussions on the respective responsibilities of the Member States, after Paris and Rome had each said at the end of the year that they were not responsible for welcoming the Ocean Viking. The discussions were intended to prepare for the European Summit on 9 and 10 February.
On 30 January, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, also travelled to Rome to meet the President of the Italian Council, Giorgia Meloni. Discussions focused on migration and the response to the US Inflation Reduction Act, which are the two themes of the European Summit. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)