“No one can deny the urgent need to do everything in our power to prevent more tragic deaths in the Mediterranean sea”, said ALDE MEP Cecilia Wikström (Folkpartiet, Sweden) welcoming today’s adoption by the Civil Liberties Committee of the deal reached with the Council on 11 February 2014 establishing new rules for improving the surveillance of the external sea borders in the context of operations coordinated by the Frontex Agency.
“Now, for the first time ever, we will have binding rules for search and rescue operations. These new provisions directly address the calls made in the aftermath of the Lampedusa tragedy. According to them, the push backs of vessels carrying refugees on the high seas are no longer possible”, she continued. This new Regulation in fact changes the legal nature of the rules governing the search and rescue from non- mandatory into binding, to ensure greater effectiveness in avoiding human tragedies.
“I am happy that the Regulation will enter into force before the summer and I believe it will contribute to save lives. These rules of course only apply to Frontex operations but I strongly urge all Member States to follow them also for national operations. This is particularly important after the death, on 6 February, of at least 12 Sub-Saharan migrants who drowned between the Moroccan borders and Ceuta, in the presence of members of the Guarda Civile“, Mrs Wikström concluded.
The text, adopted today, reinforces the reference to the principle of solidarity and responsibility sharing as well as the reinforcement of the principle of non-refoulement. Legal certainty has been introduced in terms of responsibility and obligations. In this respect the European Parliament is due to receive an annual report on the fulfilment of each obligation during the common operations carried out, including details on cases of disembarkation and the compliance with the principle of non-refoulement.