The European Commission, on Wednesday 12 April, “took note” of the Italian government’s decision, announced the previous day, to declare a six-month state of emergency in response to the influx of migrants on the country’s coast.
This decision is a matter of “national competence” and the Commission “is in contact with the Italian authorities to find out the details of the measures announced”, said Anitta Hipper, spokesperson for Migration.
Over the Easter weekend, 3,000 migrants reached Italy, bringing the total number of arrivals since the beginning of the year to 31,192, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
According to the Italian news agency Ansa, the state of emergency should, among other things, facilitate the establishment of new reception centres and increase the number of structures organising the expulsion and repatriation of migrants.
Record number of deaths in the central Mediterranean
On the same day, the IOM reported a record number of migrant deaths in the central Mediterranean since 2017, with 441 deaths in the first quarter of 2023.
“Delays in state-led rescues on this route have been a factor in at least six incidents this year resulting in the deaths of at least 127 people. The total lack of response to a seventh case has cost the lives of at least 73 migrants”, the international organisation said.
The European Commission invited European NGOs to Brussels on 28 March to discuss a future framework for cooperation on rescue at sea.
Work has been launched on various topics, such as information sharing, certification and registration rules, security rules and cooperation with the International Maritime Organization, to develop a framework involving all relevant actors and authorities, according to one source.
The Commission’s aim is to convene a new meeting of the ‘contact group’ involving the Member States before the summer. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)