The EU countries around the Mediterranean, meeting in the ‘Med9’ group (Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Cyprus, Croatia, Slovenia, France and Spain) in Malta on Friday 29 September, pledged to work together to tackle the challenges facing the region, including climate change and immigration.
The meeting of the 9 countries was to take stock of the 10-point action plan presented by the Commission on 17 September in the wake of the arrival of thousands of migrants in Lampedusa, as well as progress on the ‘Pact on Migration and Asylum’, with the EU Council still to adopt its mandate on crisis situations (see EUROPE 13260/1).
At this meeting, the President of the Italian Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, reportedly indicated that her country might no longer welcome migrant rescue ships if the ‘Pact’ did not become more advantageous for Italy. On Thursday 28 September, it was the latest amendments to the text on the role of NGOs that reportedly put the Italian government on edge.
According to AFP, Ms Meloni would like to amend the ‘Pact’ to oblige NGOs that rescue migrants in the Mediterranean to disembark them in the country where their ship is flagged, she said.
At the end of the final press conference with the Maltese Prime Minister, Robert Abela, Ms Meloni said she was “pleased with the convergence” reached on the subject of migration. The Summit “clearly showed the way”, particularly in the “fight against illegal immigration, against traffickers” and in “getting to the root of the problems” on the African continent by providing “serious answers”.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, had met on the sidelines with the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the Italian leader to discuss a joint plan on immigration, according to AFP, with a view to the informal summit in Granada.
The Summit also provided an opportunity to discuss support for Ukraine, competitiveness and the digital transition. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)