Brussels, 12 February 2024
See question(s) : E-003089/2023
EN E-003089/2023
Answer given by Ms Johansson on behalf of the European Commission
(12.2.2024)
1. The efforts of all actors, including non-governmental organisations, involved in rescuing persons in distress at sea in line with international law, are commendable. To prevent loss of life at sea, the Commission has repeatedly called on all actors to ensure full cooperation and coordination, in line with the obligations set out by international and, where applicable, EU law. To this end, the Commission promotes a structured cooperation among actors involved in Search and Rescue (SAR), including through the SAR contact group. The EU also acts constantly to prevent and fight migrant smuggling, including by strengthening the EU legislation1,2 and by calling for a Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling3. Since the operations mentioned are not eligible for EU funding, the Commission does not dispose of the information requested by the Honourable Member.
2. The Commission does not dispose of information on impacts referred to in the question. For EU funds in shared management, Member States are in charge of the management of the EU funding, including of the selection, contracting and payments to beneficiaries, according to shared management rules and strategy defined in the programme of each Member State.
3. The Commission does not fund any such operations.
1 The proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of The Council laying down minimum rules to prevent and counter the facilitation of unauthorised entry, transit and stay in the Union, and replacing Council Directive 2002/90/EC and Council Framework Decision 2002/946 JHA [COM/2023/755 final].
2 The proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on enhancing police cooperation in relation to the prevention, detection and investigation of migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings, and on enhancing Europol’s support to preventing and combating such crimes and amending Regulation (EU) 2016/794 [COM/2023/754 final].
3 https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2023-11/Call-to-action-global-alliance-to-counter-migrantsmuggling_en_1.pdf