Today, Dimitris Avramopoulos, Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, and Julian King, Commissioner for the Security Union, will attend the informal meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Council in Tallinn, Estonia. The meeting will start with a discussion on migration. To steer the debate, the European Commission presented on Tuesday an Action Plan on the Central Mediterranean Route to support Italy, reduce migratory pressure and increase solidarity among Member States.
With the Tallinn Summit starting, the question becomes: what about migrants? Especially after France and Spain, Germany and Belgium also opposed the opening of other EU ports, as proposed by Italy.
Yesterday, Chancellor Christian Kern (Austria), said that its government will not deploy armed forces at the border with Italy. This view was clarified after a telephone conversation with Italian Prime Minister Gentiloni. European Parliament President Tajani called this a “wise choice” on the part of Vienna. The Interior Minister Minniti appreciated that the EU Commission has accepted Italy’s proposals, beginning with the Code of Conduct for NGOs working with the Judicial Police.
Showing solidarity with concrete actions is imperative for many of the European interior ministers who will be at the Summit in Tallinn today, where Italy will face one of its toughest challenges. Rome wants to share the flow of migrant’s responsibility. Italy has already called for an urgent meeting with Frontex.
Maria Elena Argano
For further information:
Libération Site : http://www.liberation.fr/planete/2017/07/06/migration-l-ue-a-tallinn-pour-apporter-son-soutien-a-l-italie_1581913
European Council Site: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEX-17-1914_en.htm
