The EU’s new policy to deal with the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean has come under fire.
Its Operation Triton is to support the Italian Navy’s Mare Nostrum programme which is winding down.
But Triton’s range, facilities and budget are all much smaller than that of the Italians.
While Mare Nostrum conducted regular search-and-rescue operations, Triton will patrol within 30 nautical miles of the Italian coast.
Although Triton will have access to seven vessels, four planes and one helicopter, the UN’s refugee agency believes the burden of rescue will fall on private merchant ships which may not choose to rescue migrants in peril on the sea.
Triton is run by the EU border agency Frontex which says it is not a search and rescue body.
Mare Nostrum may be scaling back, but not before saving some 150,000 people in the last year. Most had been seeking safety from the violent conflicts plaguing Africa and the Middle East.
Although there are 21 EU members which have pledge to participate in the Triton programme, the UK has shied away from helping, saying such operations could encourage more people to risk dangerous voyages to Europe.
Peter Sutherland, the UN special envoy for migration, condemned such arguments.
"I think that it is an utterly outrageous statement to make that it is a good thing not to save lives because it may put other people off trying to travel across the Mediterranean," he said.
The Italian navy has made it clear that, following international maritime law, it will still attend to an emergency or distress call from any boat, in any location.
Comments
Given the crisis around Calais for years and with no end in sight, this seems a fair enough comment.
We must remind ourselves that the UK - as one of the most developed countries in the World - has a very good press around Europe, Africa and the Middle east as a good place to aim for.
The 100,000 Portuguese already living and working in the UK, like flies around s**t, cannot all be wrong !
Surely, if these migrants must be temporarly settled until their status is established - it should be in purpose built camps in the less developed countries.
As with say Australia, a points system will reward those incomers with professional skills who can earn the necessary new EU skills and experience prior to moving 'up-market' and helping the ageing populations in the more developed EU countries.
But let us start with countries like Portugal finally following through on the Lisbon Treaty and a dozen other treaties and opening all their business sectors to other EU foreigners. First !!!
That must be the UK's new Ultimatum !