Europaudvalget 2014-15 (1. samling)
Ekstraordinært Det Europæiske Råd 23/4-15 Bilag 5
Offentligt
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European Council
Brussels, 23 April 2015
(OR. en)
EUCO 18/15
CO EUR 4
COVER NOTE
From:
To:
Subject:
General Secretariat of the Council
Delegations
Special meeting of the European Council (23 April 2015)
- Statement
Delegations will find attached the Statement adopted by the European Council at the above
meeting.
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 Ekstraordinært møde i Det Europæiske Råd den 23. april 2015 - Bilag 5: Erklæringstekst fra mødet i Det ekstraordinære Europæiske Råd 23/4-15
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Statement - 23 April 2015
EUROPEAN COUNCIL STATEMENT
1.
The situation in the Mediterranean is a tragedy. The European Union will mobilise all efforts
at its disposal to prevent further loss of life at sea and to tackle the root causes of the human
emergency that we face, in cooperation with the countries of origin and transit. Our
immediate priority is to prevent more people from dying at sea.
2.
We have therefore decided to strengthen our presence at sea, to fight the traffickers, to prevent
illegal migration flows and to reinforce internal solidarity and responsibility. Given that
instability in Libya creates an ideal environment for the criminal activities of traffickers, we
will actively support all UN-led efforts towards re-establishing government authority in
Libya. We will also step up efforts to address conflict and instability as key push factors of
migration, including in Syria.
3.
We today commit to:
Strengthening our presence at sea
a)
rapidly reinforce EU Operations Triton and Poseidon by at least tripling the financial
resources for this purpose in 2015 and 2016 and reinforcing the number of assets, thus
allowing to increase the search and rescue possibilities within the mandate of
FRONTEX. We welcome the commitments already made by Member States which will
allow to reach this objective in the coming weeks;
Fighting traffickers in accordance with international law
b)
disrupt trafficking networks, bring the perpetrators to justice and seize their assets,
through swift action by Member State authorities in co-operation with EUROPOL,
FRONTEX, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) and EUROJUST, as well as
through increased intelligence and police-cooperation with third countries;
c)
undertake systematic efforts to identify, capture and destroy vessels before they are used
by traffickers;
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Statement - 23 April 2015
d)
at the same time, the High Representative is invited to immediately begin preparations
for a possible CSDP operation to this effect;
e)
use EUROPOL to detect and request removal of internet content used by traffickers to
attract migrants and refugees, in accordance with national constitutions;
Preventing illegal migration flows
f)
increase support to Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Mali and Niger among others, to monitor and
control the land borders and routes, building on current CSDP operations in the region,
as well as on regional cooperation frameworks (Rabat and Khartoum processes); step up
dialogue with the African Union at all levels on all these issues;
g)
reinforce our political cooperation with African partners at all levels in order to tackle
the cause of illegal migration and combat the smuggling and trafficking of human
beings. The EU will raise these issues with the African Union and the key countries
concerned, with whom it will propose the holding of a summit in Malta in the coming
months;
h)
i)
step up cooperation with Turkey in view of the situation in Syria and Iraq;
deploy European migration liaison officers in key countries to gather information on
migratory flows, co-ordinate with national liaison officers, and co-operate directly with
the local authorities;
j)
work with regional partners in building capacity for maritime border management and
search and rescue operations;
k)
launch Regional Development and Protection programmes for North Africa and the
Horn of Africa;
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Statement - 23 April 2015
l)
invite the Commission and the High Representative to mobilise all tools, including
through development cooperation and the implementation of EU and national
readmission agreements with third countries, to promote readmission of unauthorised
economic migrants to countries of origin and transit, working closely with the
International Organisation for Migration;
m)
while respecting the right to seek asylum, set up a new return programme for the rapid
return of illegal migrants from frontline Member States, coordinated by FRONTEX;
Reinforcing internal solidarity and responsibility
n)
rapid and full transposition and effective implementation of the Common European
Asylum System by all participating Member States, thereby ensuring common
European standards under existing legislation;
o)
increase emergency aid to frontline Member States and consider options for organising
emergency relocation between all Member States on a voluntary basis;
p)
deploy EASO teams in frontline Member States for joint processing of asylum
applications, including registration and finger-printing;
q)
set up a first voluntary pilot project on resettlement across the EU, offering places to
persons qualifying for protection.
4.
The EU institutions and the Member States will work immediately on the full implementation
of these orientations. The Presidency and the Commission will present next week a roadmap
setting out work up to June.
5.
The European Council looks forward to the Commission Communication on a European
Agenda for Migration, in order to develop a more systemic and geographically comprehensive
approach to migration. The European Council will remain seized of the situation and will
closely monitor the implementation of these orientations. The Council and the Commission
will report to the European Council in June.
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