European Commission

Commission reports on progress under the migration partnership framework and increased action along the Central Mediterranean Route

Brussels, 2 March 2017

Today, the Commission and the High Representative/ Vice-President presented the third Progress Report on the Partnership Framework with third countries under the European Agenda on Migration.

What has the College adopted today?

Today, the Commission and the High Representative/ Vice-President presented the third Progress Report on the Partnership Framework with third countries under the European Agenda on Migration, which also takes stock of progress achieved and sets out next steps in the EU's efforts to more effectively manage migration along the Central Mediterranean Route.

What is new?

Since the launch of the Partnership Framework in June 2016, a number of tangible results across the five sub-Saharan priority countries, Niger, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Ethiopia, have been achieved. Packages are better tailored to our partners, while more policies and tools are being harnessed. Also, the geographical scope has been broadened and the report also looks beyond the priority countries, in line with the discussions held at the December European Council. In particular, the current focus on the Central Mediterranean route is reflected and actions are outlined to respond to the continued high crossings on this route, as well as the still high number deaths in the Mediterranean. It sets out further actions to implement the Malta Declaration, adopted by EU Heads of State or Government on 3 February 2017, covering a wide range of measures to save lives, step up the fight against smugglers and traffickers, provide protection to migrants and improve border management.

What results have been achieved?

A detailed overview of results achieved since the last reporting period can be found in the report itself. However, some concrete results, both with the five priority countries can be highlighted:

• Ethiopia will actively cooperate with the EU Trust Fund supported Regional Operational Centre to fight against trafficking and smuggling. It will also benefit from an additional Facility to support Sustainable and Dignified returns and reintegration and assist stranded migrants.
• As regards Niger, after the visit of President Issoufou on 15 December 2016, progress has continued at good pace building on previous achievements. The EU has reinforced its presence with the deployment of a migration liaison officer and a Frontex liaison officer, as well as with the creation of a liaison office in Agadez. At the end of January 2017, three projects under the EU Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) were launched in Agadez, targeting agriculture, vocational training and sustainable migration management. Two EU field missions took place in January to assess emerging alternative routes and to help identify rapid impact projects for creating economic alternatives in local communities reliant on income from smuggling.
• Political dialogue with Nigeria continues with High Level visits and meetings. VP Ansip visited Abuja and Lagos on 2-3 February 2017. An interest for cooperation was expressed in the areas of cyber security and governance, with important by-effects on fighting corruption, promotion of trade and investment and migration management. Future cooperation on "Digital 4 Development" was equally explored.
• Cooperation with Mali continues, in particular as Chair of the Rabat Process in the preparations of the Valletta Senior Officials Meeting in February 2017. During the Valletta meeting the HRVP and Minister Sylla agreed to focus next EU-Mali actions around the fight against migrant smuggling networks.
• Four additional projects for Senegal have been adopted under the EU Trust Fund in December, addressing the root causes of migration, enhancing migration management, the integration of returning migrants and the involvement of the diaspora, and re-enforcing the civil registry.

What are the next steps under the Partnership Framework?

EU Institutions and Member States remain jointly committed to continue to translate the Partnership Framework into tangible results to the mutual benefit of the European Union and our partners. Thus, the substantial efforts already put into the Partnership Framework will be continued and will be enhanced. Concrete next steps foreseen include, but are not limited to, the following:

Ethiopia: Finalise actions on the pilot return cases (32) and use them as a blueprint for faster returns to be performed in the future, and continue to support Ethiopia as a country of origin, transit and destination of migrants and refugees. A Strategic Engagement sectoral dialogue on migration is targeted to launch in April 2017, while close dialogue will continue with Ethiopia, as Chair of the Khartoum process.

Niger: Intensified action is foreseen to support Niger to fight smuggling and trafficking, including support to a Joint Investigation team and full operationalisation of the EU antenna in Agadez, including for training[1]. Contracts on all actions agreed under the EU Trust Fund should be signed swiftly, to ensure concrete implementation and provide alternative income opportunities to substitute the smuggling economy. At the same time, intensified monitoring of possible alternative routes will be conducted in the Agadez region and a working arrangement between the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and Nigerien authorities will be put in place.

Nigeria: Finalise the Readmission Agreement by June 2017 and identify EU Trust Fund for Africa projects with a strong migration focus. Active cooperation on anti-smuggling and trafficking through the Africa-Frontex Intelligence Community and the recently launched Cooperation Platform on Migrant Smuggling will continue.

Mali: Step up work on the transit dimension, focussing on voluntary return of transiting migrants; ensure adoption of a National Border Strategy and explore options for cooperation and strengthening of capacities for border management and the fight against smuggling. Further cooperation on effective return of irregular migrants including of Malians attempting to cross the southern Libyan border irregularly should be strengthened, as well as close dialogue with Mali as Chair of the Rabat Process should be maintained.

Senegal: Improve day-to-day cooperation for both identification and issuance of travel documents; follow up missions were undertaken, to ensure the effective return of identified irregular migrants. Working arrangements between Senegal and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency should be finalised and on the basis of results achieved so far cooperation should be stepped up in other areas, including border management.

As regards policies and tools to be applied, a step-change is needed in the effectiveness of returns inside the EU and matched with the work with third country partners. In this regard, the report is closely linked to the renewed Action plan on return which proposes a number of concrete actions. Engaging with third countries through the Partnership Framework, using all the available policies and tools, will foster better cooperation with a view to identifying, re-documenting and readmitting their nationals.

In this context, the mobilisation of also other policy instruments will be considered, such as providing legal migration pathways, for example through Erasmus+, and other operational tools will be applied. This includes the increased use of EU agencies, like the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, European Migration Liaison Officers and financial instruments, in particular the EU Trust Fund for Africa.

For more information on the Commission's action to take this forward, please see here.

What will you do under the Central Mediterranean Route?

When it comes to Libya: Support is to be focussed on protection at disembarkation points, as well as on the humanitarian assistance to those migrants who are in reception/detention centres, while increasing the development of alternatives to detention. The contribution to socio-economic stabilisation in Libya will continue to be addressed, in particular through work at the municipality level.

Humanitarian repatriation and reintegration will be scaled up. The IOM has been contracted, as part of a project funded under the EU Trust Fund for Africa, to assist an initial target 5.000 migrant in Libya to return to their communities of origin. Reintegration will be provided to returnees across the whole of the area covered by the Trust Fund. The Commission and the IOM have signed a joint initiative in December 2016 for migrant protection and reintegration in Africa along the Central Mediterranean migration routes, worth €100 million.

Training of the Libyan coastguard and Navy: EUNAVFOR Med Operation Sophia and the Seahorse Mediterranean network have both already trained members of the Libyan Coast Guard. Operation Sophia has completed a first package of activities resulting in the training of 93 personnel. Operation Sophia has now started the training under the second package on Crete. The Libyan Coast Guard has expressed the ambition to further train 600 Coastguard personnel with a focus on generating 8 trained crews for the Libyan patrol vessels. Training should also align with the overall plans for the development of a Libyan a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre and search and rescue area, which are foreseen to be completed in 2018.

Immediate action by the Commission includes the expansion of the Seahorse training of the Libyan Coast Guard, with 15 new training courses being planned for the period February-July 2017. This is also complemented by support to migration management under the Regional Development and Protection Programme.

Increased cooperation with the neighbouring countries

Increased cooperation with Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria, including through regional initiatives like the Seahorse Mediterranean network are key.

Egypt: The EU now has an agreement to launch a formal EU-Egypt dialogue on migration, fully embedding migration on our overall relations and existing frameworks such as ENP, Khartoum and Valletta.

Tunisia: The EU remains committed to continue addressing the root causes of migration, and to reinforce governance in the field of migration. Furthermore, the EU intends to reinforce cooperation on irregular migration, concluding a Readmission Agreement in parallel with Visa Facilitation Agreement; In addition, focus will be on reintegration of returnees, promotion of legal migration and cooperation on border management.

Algeria: Cooperation with Algeria remains important to combat irregular migration to Europe. At political and technical level, discussions have been taking place since September 2015. Dialogue will continue to follow up on issues such as trafficking, preventing and combatting counterfeiting of travel documents, as well as visa liberalisation and cooperation on readmission.

What about the funding?

Partnership Framework

The EU is using a range of financial instruments to support the implementation of the Partnership Framework, most prominently the EU Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF). The EUTF operates in a total of 26 countries, with resources allocated amounting to more than €2.5 billion, including €2.5 billion from the European Development Fund and several EU budget financing instruments, and €152 million pledged so far by EU Member States and other donors (Switzerland and Norway).

Most recently, a total of 42 new programmes worth €587 million were agreed in December 2016. These include 28 new programmes under the Sahel/ Lake Chad window worth a total of €381 million; 11 additional programmes under the Horn of Africa window, worth €169.5 million and 3 new programmes under the North Africa window, for a total of €37 million.

This brought the total number to 106 adopted projects worth over €1.5 billion. Programmes contracted so far amount to €627 million.

Central Mediterranean Route

€200 million have been pledged by the EU for migration-related projects in Libya and North Africa through the EU Trust Fund. This comes on top of other projects launched in 2016, focussing on providing protection to most vulnerable migrants and creating socio-economic opportunities at local level.

Discussions are under way to focus support on protection at disembarkation points and in detention centres, as well as support for alternatives to detention. The contribution to socio-economic stabilisation in Libya will also be addressed through work at the municipality level. This will add to the work to enhance rescue at sea, including by the training of the Libyan Coast Guard. Strong coordination on the ground will also be sought with Member States.

European Commission -

Commission calls for renewed efforts in implementing solidarity measures under the European Agenda on Migration

Brussels, 2 March 2017

Ahead of next week's European Council and in the form of three progress reports, the Commission is today making a renewed call on Member States to pick up the pace of relocation to alleviate pressure from Italy and Greece, with few having met their commitments in full.

The Commission is also calling on Member States to make good on the strong political commitment given and fill gaps in manpower and equipment by the end of March for the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. With the EU-Turkey Statement continuing, one year on, to keep irregular crossings under control but with arrivals still outpacing returns, the Commission is also calling on Greece and all Member States to keep up the momentum in implementing the Joint Action Plan to improve the situation in the islands.

European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: "To improve our management of migration we need to continue to implement our comprehensive approach – from relocation and resettlement, to the operationalisation of the European Border and Coast Guard and through continued engagement with Turkey. All these measures have the principle of solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility at their core – a principle that binds each Member State. The European Council offers an opportunity to review our achievements so far and determine how our common decisions and commitments can be fulfilled without delay."

Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos said: "Responsibility cannot be fairly shared without solidarity. All our measures are interlinked, and Member States cannot cherry-pick what they deliver on. Right now, all operational pre-conditions to make relocation work are in place on the ground in Greece and Italy. It is up to Member States to act and deliver on their obligations to ensure that all those eligible are relocated in time. At the same time, Member States should continue to deliver on their commitments to resettle from Turkey, provide the necessary support for the processing of asylum applications in Greece and ensure full operational capability of the European Border and Coast Guard."

A need for a renewed push on relocation and resettlement

Despite February setting a new monthly record with around 1,940 relocations, the current pace of relocation is still well below expectations and below the European Council endorsed target of at least 3,000 monthly relocations from Greece and the target set by the Commission of at least 1,500 monthly relocations from Italy. Overall, 13,546 relocations have been carried out so far, 3,936 from Italy and 9,610 from Greece. Most importantly, the current pace will not allow for the relocation of all eligible applicants currently present in Greece and Italy by September 2017 – despite this being perfectly feasible. So far, only two Member States (Malta and Finland) are on track to meet their obligations for both Italy and Greece, whereas some (Hungary, Austria and Poland) are still refusing to participate in the scheme at all and others are doing so on a very limited basis (Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovakia). Italy, Greece, the EU agencies and international organisations have increased their capacities and are ready and on stand-by to facilitate meeting the monthly targets. It is now for the other Member States to equally deliver on their obligations. The Commission urges the Maltese Presidency and Member States to follow up on the Commission's call at the March Justice and Home Affairs Council. If Member States do not increase their relocations soon, the Commission will not hesitate to make use of its powers under the Treaties for those who have not complied with the obligations stemming from the Council decisions, noting that the legal obligation to relocate those eligible will not cease after September.

Conversely, progress on resettlement continues to be promising. Member States have provided safe and legal pathways to 14,422 persons so far, over half of the agreed 22,504 under the EU resettlement scheme. This includes the resettlement of 3,565 Syrians under the EU-Turkey Statement. Member States are advancing well on preparing further resettlement operations and have indicated they plan to admit a further 34,000 Syrians from Turkey, including via "One for One" resettlement and national schemes. As a consequence, the Commission has revised the funding programmes for the relevant Member States to include €213 million in financial support of resettlement. Moreover, an assessment should be made as to whether the conditions for triggering the Voluntary Humanitarian Admission Scheme for Syrian refuges from Turkey are fulfilled, which would help boost resettlement.

Steady delivery of results in the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement

After almost one year, the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement of 18 March continues to deliver tangible results, despite the challenging circumstances. Daily crossings from Turkey to the Greek islands have gone down from 10,000 persons in a single day in October 2015 to 43 a day now. Overall, arrivals have dropped by 98%. The number of lives lost in the Aegean Sea since the Statement took effect has also substantially fallen, from 1,100 (during the same period in 2015-2016) to 70. Return operations have continued to be carried out with a total of 1,487 returns since the Statement was activated. Yet arrivals continue to outpace the number of returns from Greece to Turkey which has led to additional pressure on the Greek islands. The measures set out in the Joint Action Plan agreed between Greece and the EU-Turkey Statement Coordinator, such as putting in place an efficient case tracking system, imposing geographical restrictions and creating sufficient reception capacity, should help to speed up returns. The Commission has today, for the first time, published a point by point progress report on each of the measures under the Joint Action Plan.

Progress on other areas of the Statement continues, with the Commission continuing to accelerate the delivery of funding under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey, as showed in the first Annual Report on the Facility published by the Commission in parallel today. €1.5 billion out of the already allocated €2.2 billion for 2016-2017 has been contracted in record time, half of the total €3 billion budget for 2016-2017. The Commission is also continuing to work with Turkey to encourage progress on meeting the outstanding benchmarks of the Visa Liberalisation Roadmap and the Council has started its examination of the negotiating directive for upgrading the Customs Union.

Progress in making the new European Border and Coast Guard Agency fully operational

Five months after the European Border and Coast Guard was launched, joint investment and engagement in ensuring it becomes fully operational as quickly as possible are still needed, as a practical expression of the commitment by Member States to share responsibility and demonstrate solidarity.

The Agency is currently supporting Member States with around 1,350 border guards at different sections of the EU external border, complementing the existing national capacities of Member States of over 100,000 border guards. However, despite important deployments and contributions by Member States, there are gaps, both in terms of human resources and technical equipment. In particular, considerable gaps still exist regarding material contributions to the Rapid Reaction Equipment pool, deployments to ongoing joint operations and to the three new pools of forced-return monitors, forced-return escorts and return specialists.These gaps should be filled by Member States by the end of March 2017 to ensure that the Agency can provide the necessary support to Member States at the external borders. It is also necessary to carry through the vulnerability assessment process to help close potential shortcomings at the external borders before a new crisis may arise, including by prioritising the most urgent vulnerabilities.

Progress continues in other areas, with a draft headquarters agreement initialled with Poland and a new Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems service for maritime surveillance set to launch by June 2017.

Future of Europe: MEPs debate the five scenarios outlined by the Commission

 

Juncker: "Where are you going, Europe?"

How should the EU evolve in response to challenges such as Brexit and globalisation? Jena-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, presented five possible options to the Parliament on 1 March, ranging from business as usual to deeper integration across most areas. During the subsequent plenary debate most MEPs welcomed the opportunity to reflect on the direction Europe should take. Watch our video for highlights from the debate.

Five scenarios for the future of the EU

Juncker outlined five possible courses for the EU in his presentation to the Parliament on 1 March:

• Sticking with current policies
• Focussing on the single market and removing barriers to trade
• Allowing EU countries to integrate at different levels so that those who want to progress in a certain area can do so without having to wait for others.
• Selecting a limited number of areas for further integration but do less in other policy fields
• Integrating more across most policy areas

Juncker declined to state his preference: “At the end of the day, it won’t be just me making the decision. It will be up to your Parliament, national parliaments, governments, civil society. In other words: the citizens will be able to have a say. We would prefer to listen, before we state our views.”

MEPs' reactions

During the debate that followed, some MEPs welcomed the Commission’s efforts to chart possible scenarios for the EU's future, others were disappointed it did not clearly state its preference, while others saw the whole discussion as a sign that the EU if failing.

Spanish EPP member Esteban González Pons said: “We have done many things wrong before arriving to this point. Brexit is not the cause. Brexit is the last consequence and we must be sure it remains the last consequence."

Gianni Pittella, the Italian chair of the S&D group, said: “You are presenting us with a reflection paper and scenarios instead of a clear plan to fortify our house to weather this storm."

Read more about the reactions of the political groups.

Parliament reports on the future of Europe

MEPs already adopted three resolutions on the future of Europe during the February plenary in Strasbourg. One of them looks at what improvements are possible under the existing system, another considers what treaty changes might be needed for additional reforms, while the last one sets out how to bring the economies of countries that have adopted the euro closer together and make them more resilient. Watch our videos to learn more about Parliament’s proposals.

REF. : 20170301STO64425

Commission presents White Paper on the future of Europe..

European Commission

Commission presents White Paper on the future of Europe: Avenues for unity for the EU at 27

Brussels, 1 March 2017

As announced in President Juncker's 2016 State of the Union speech, the European Commission today presented a White Paper on the Future of Europe, which forms the Commission's contribution to the Rome Summit of 25 March 2017.

As we prepare to mark the 60^th anniversary of the EU, we look back on a peace spanning seven decades and on an enlarged Union of 500 million citizens living in freedom in one of the world's most prosperous economies. At the same time, the EU has to look forward at how it will carve a vision for its own future at 27. The White Paper sets out the main challenges and opportunities for Europe in the coming decade. It presents five scenarios for how the Union could evolve by 2025 depending on how it chooses to respond.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said: "60 years ago, Europe's founding fathers chose to unite the continent with the force of the law rather than with armed forces. We can be proud of what we have achieved since then. Our darkest day in 2017 will still be far brighter than any spent by our forefathers on the battlefield. As we mark the 60^th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome, it is time for a united Europe of 27 to shape a vision for its future. It's time for leadership, unity and common resolve. The Commission's White Paper presents a series of different paths this united EU at 27 could choose to follow. It is the start of the process, not the end, and I hope that now an honest and wide-ranging debate will take place. The form will then follow the function. We have Europe's future in our own hands."

The White Paper looks at how Europe will change in the next decade, from the impact of new technologies on society and jobs, to doubts about globalisation, security concerns and the rise of populism. It spells out the choice we face: being swept along by those trends, or embracing them and seizing the new opportunities they bring. Europe's population and economic weight is falling as other parts of the world grow. By 2060, none of our Member States will account for even 1% of the world's population – a compelling reason for sticking together to achieve more. A positive global force, Europe's prosperity will continue to depend on its openness and strong links with its partners.

The White Paper sets out five scenarios, each offering a glimpse into the potential state of the Union by 2025 depending on the choices Europe will make (see Annex). The scenarios cover a range of possibilities and are illustrative in nature. They are neither mutually exclusive, nor exhaustive.

• Scenario 1: Carrying On - The EU27 focuses on delivering its positive reform agenda in the spirit of the Commission's New Start for Europe from 2014 and of the Bratislava Declarationagreed by all 27 Member States in 2016. By 2025 this could mean:
  • Europeans can drive automated and connected cars but can encounter problems when crossing borders as some legal and technical obstacles persist.
  • Europeans mostly travel across borders without having to stop for checks. Reinforced security controls mean having to arrive at airports and train stations well in advance of departure.

• Scenario 2: Nothing but the Single Market – The EU27 is gradually re-centred on the single market as the 27 Member States are not able to find common ground on an increasing number of policy areas. By 2025 this could mean:
  • Crossing borders for business or tourism becomes difficult due to regular checks. Finding a job abroad is harder and the transfer of pension rights to another country not guaranteed. Those falling ill abroad face expensive medical bills.
  • Europeans are reluctant to use connected cars due to the absence of EU-wide rules and technical standards.

• Scenario 3: Those Who Want More Do More – The EU27 proceeds as today but allows willing Member States to do more together in specific areas such as defence, internal security or social matters. One or several "coalitions of the willing" emerge. By 2025 this could mean that:
  • 15 Member States set up a police and magistrates corps to tackle cross-border criminal activities. Security information is immediately exchanged as national databases are fully interconnected.
  • Connected cars are used widely in 12 Member States which have agreed to harmonise their liability rules and technical standards.

• Scenario 4: Doing Less More Efficiently - The EU27 focuses on delivering more and faster in selected policy areas, while doing less where it is perceived not to have an added value. Attention and limited resources are focused on selected policy areas. By 2025 this could mean
  • A European Telecoms Authority will have the power to free up frequencies for cross-border communication services, such as the ones used by connected cars. It will also protect the rights of mobile and Internet users wherever they are in the EU.
  • A new European Counter-terrorism Agency helps to deter and prevent serious attacks through a systematic tracking and flagging of suspects.

• Scenario 5: Doing Much More Together – Member States decide to share more power, resources and decision-making across the board. Decisions are agreed faster at European level and rapidly enforced. By 2025 this could mean:
  • Europeans who want to complain about a proposed EU-funded wind turbine project in their local area cannot reach the responsible authority as they are told to contact the competent European authorities.
  • Connected cars drive seamlessly across Europe as clear EU-wide rules exist. Drivers can rely on an EU agency to enforce the rules.

Next Steps

The White Paper is the European's Commission contribution to the Rome Summit, the moment when the EU will discuss its achievements of the past 60 years but also its future at 27. The White Paper marks the beginning of a process for the EU27 to decide on the future of their Union. To encourage this debate, the European Commission, together with the European Parliament and interested Member States, will host a series of 'Future of Europe Debates' across Europe's cities and regions.

The European Commission will contribute to the debate in the months to come with a series of reflection papers on:

• developing the social dimension of Europe;
• deepening the Economic and Monetary Union, on the basis of the Five Presidents' Report of June 2015;
• harnessing globalisation;
• the future of Europe's defence ;
• the future of EU finances.

Like the White Paper, the reflection papers will offer different ideas, proposals, options or scenarios for Europe in 2025 without presenting definitive decisions at this stage.

President Juncker's State of the Union speech in September 2017 will take these ideas forward before first conclusions could be drawn at the December 2017 European Council. This will help to decide on a course of action to be rolled out in time for the European Parliament elections in June 2019.

Background

Sixty years ago, inspired by a dream of a peaceful, common future, the EU's founding members embarked on an ambitious journey of European integration, with the signing of the Treaties of Rome. They agreed to settle their conflicts around a table rather than in battlefields. As a result, the painful experience of Europe's troubled past has given way to a peace spanning seven decades and to a Union of 500 million citizens living in freedom and opportunity in one of the world's most prosperous economies.

The 60^th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome on 25 March 2017 will be an important occasion for EU27 leaders to reflect on the state of play of our European project, to consider its achievements and strengths as well as areas for further improvement, and to show common resolve to shape a stronger future together at 27.

As announced by President Juncker in his State of the Union speech of 14 September 2016, which was welcomed by the EU-27 leaders at the Bratislava Summit of 16 September 2016, the Commission has today presented a White Paper on the future of Europe in order to launch the debate ahead of the Rome Summit.

The White Paper will serve to steer the debate among the 27 Heads of State or Government and help structure the discussion at the Rome Summit and well beyond. It will also be used by the Commission as the starting point for a wider public debate on the future of our continent.

For More Information

European Commission White Paper on the future of Europe

Webpage: The EU at 60

The European Story: 60 years of shared progress

President Juncker's 2016 State of the Union address: Towards a better Europe – a Europe that protects, empowers and defends

IP/17/385