Q&A: What the EU is doing about the migrant crisis
BRUSSELS (AP) — Following the death of more than 40 people
off the Greek islands Friday, here are some questions and answers about the
migrant crisis and what Europe is doing to respond to it. More than a million people entered the bloc in 2015 and
around 3,700 died or went missing on the way. Already in the first three weeks
of this year, another 37,000 people have entered the EU, according to the
International Organization for Migration.
WHY ARE PEOPLE DYING?
Most people are arriving in Greece after a 6 or 7 mile hop
from the Turkish coast, though some still cross the Mediterranean from Libya to
Italy. Often their boats are un-seaworthy, and few have reliable lifejackets, if
they have any flotation device at all. Also, the EU has no active search and
rescue mission. Coastguards and rescue ships react to mayday calls as they are
required to under international law, but this takes time. EU countries so far
refuse to share sovereignty over their waters with other countries, so the bloc
cannot legally establish a search and rescue mission. A new beefed-up European
border agency scheme is to be announced in March, but the agency will not have
proactive search and rescue powers.
WHAT HAS THE EU DONE TO HELP?
The EU has beefed up the current Frontex border agency and launched
a naval operation to hunt human traffickers. To ease the number of arrivals and
prevent dangerous journeys across the sea, EU nations agreed to resettle at
least 20,000 refugees by bringing them in directly from countries outside
Europe.
Twenty-three nations also accepted to share 160,000 refugees
arriving in Greece and Italy over two years to lighten the two countries'
burden. However, as of Jan. 21, fewer than 400 of the 160,000 potential
refugees had moved on to new homes. This is partly because only four expert
teams have been set up of the total 11 that had been planned in Greece and
Italy to determine who qualifies for asylum.
On top of that, the EU is to provide more than $3 billion
plus assistance and assets to Turkey, as well as to countries neighboring Libya
that migrants leave or travel across to get to Europe. It hopes its investment
will encourage more border police action in those countries.
WHAT MORE IS PLANNED?
The EU's executive Commission has demanded that the expert
teams should be working within a month. To better control the Turkey-Greece
maritime border, the EU will look to endorse before July a European border and
coast guard.
In March, the Commission will introduce policy proposals to
control entry and exit more tightly, better register travelers and change the
rules governing the Schengen passport-free zone that allows people to travel
without border checks or visas through 26 countries in Europe. Currently the
rules oblige people seeking refuge to apply for asylum in the country they
first arrive in, which would mostly mean Greece and Italy. Those two are
overwhelmed and they, along with many others, want this system modified.
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