European Council
The President
Brussels, 31 January 2017
Malta Informal Summit, 3 February 2017
We will meet on Friday in Malta for an important informal meeting, hosted by Joseph.
We will first look at the external aspects of migration. This is very much part of the comprehensive
strategy we have been developing over the past two years. After having stabilised the situation in
the Eastern Mediterranean, our focus will this time be on operational measures to address the
challenge of the massive flows of irregular migrants in the Central Mediterranean region. Flows are
at a record level, too many people die while trying to reach Europe, and spring is approaching fast.
We will continue our long term action with African partners through the Partnership framework and
the Valletta Action Plan. But the situation on the ground requires immediate and urgent action, with
and around Libya, where the vast majority of irregular migrants depart from. Efforts to stabilise
Libya are now more important than ever. But we must at the same time protect our external border
while helping the Libyan authorities provide decent reception facilities on their territory. The
situation there is different and even more complex that in the east, and we have to be innovative
while drawing on the principles that have guided our action over the past months. We will at the
end of our discussion adopt an ambitious declaration setting out the way ahead in a clear and
concrete way.
We will break at the end of the morning for a family photo outside, and will then move to our lunch
venue, across the bay. Over lunch, we will have the opportunity to freely exchange views on other
international challenges and the international situation. We will also talk briefly about the follow up
and implementation of the conclusions we adopt after European Council meetings and about ways
to better communicate about our action.
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