(English Version) Priority Question for Written Answer P-002260/20 to The

(English version) Priority question for written answer P-002260/20 to the Commission Annalisa Tardino (ID), Marco Zanni (ID), Alessandro Panza (ID), Susanna Ceccardi (ID), Valentino Grant (ID), Luisa Regimenti (ID), Francesca Donato (ID), Matteo Adinolfi (ID) (14 April 2020) Subject: Migrants landing in Sicily Many boats carrying illegal migrants, one of whom has tested positive for COVID-19, have landed on the Sicilian coast. The migrants have been distributed among hotspots which are full to overflowing and private facilities which, against the backdrop of the current health emergency, cannot guarantee the safety of the public. The arrival of hundreds of illegal migrants at a time when EU citizens are being required to observe strict social distancing rules is giving rise to concerns among and protests by mayors and local people. In addition, and even though Italy is not a safe haven because of the emergency, the Alan Kurdi, a boat operated by the German NGO Sea-Eye, is to be allowed into port. Given the favourable weather conditions, and now that the Director-General of the WHO has confirmed the alarming increase in the speed at which the epidemic is spreading in Africa, more and more boats will be coming. Lastly, the Commission (1) has stated that it is legal to deny entry to third-country nationals who represent a danger to public safety. In light of the above, can the Commission say: whether it agrees, given that Italy is not a safe haven, that migrants rescued by foreign NGOs should be transferred to the Member States in which those NGOs are based or to other Member States, through special health corridors; whether it agrees, in the light of the emergency, that ‘ghost landings’ of this kind should be halted and that the priorities of the IRINA mission should be changed, with the focus shifting to efforts to thwart people traffickers, if necessary by establishing a naval blockade off the coast of Libya? Supporters (2) Answer given by Ms Johansson on behalf of the European Commission (4 August 2020) The Commission has no competence to indicate safe places for disembarkation. The Commission understands that, given the current exceptional circumstances, Italy’s resources are being devoted to tackling the COVID-19 outbreak and preserving the functioning of essential public services. While the COVID-19 pandemic is temporarily impacting Italy’s migration and asylum management system, it is important to ensure that appropriate contingency plans exist to address arrivals that might continue to occur, in full respect of international and European law. In this sense, the Commission welcomes the measures put in place by the Italian authorities, such as imposing a quarantine on any new persons arriving. Taking into account the pressure on Italy’s reception system, the Commission will also continue encouraging Member States to resume voluntary relocations as soon as the situation allows. As for the newly established European Union Naval Force Mediterranean (EUNAVFOR MED) Operation IRINI, while its focus is on the implementation of the United Nations arms embargo, it will also contribute to addressing irregular migration as it will maintain secondary tasks related to the disruption of smuggling and trafficking networks, as well as providing training and capacity building to the Libyan Navy and Coastguard. |(⋅1∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_616 |(⋅2∙|) This question is supported by Members other than the authors: Marco Campomenosi (ID), Mara Bizzotto (ID), Marco Dreosto (ID), Elena Lizzi (ID), Isabella Tovaglieri (ID), Lucia Vuolo (ID), Simona Baldassarre (ID).

Load more