27Feb2015

The humanitarian tragedy in the Mediterranean Sea where last year more than 3500 people lost their lives is a form of “social” business with huge profits and benefits for those who organise the traffic: if refugees are ready and able to pay between $6000 and $8000 for their passage, one ship load can earn a net profit of more than $1 million. Human trafficking feeds an industry which is informal and is built on the exploitation of the most vulnerable: people fleeing wars in Syria and elsewhere. And, by the way, fleeing the war was also the reason why millions of refugees travelled across Europe during and after the 2nd World War. It may be appropriate to recall this historical fact in the heated debate in Europe.

Although the European Union is not responsible for the reasons which drive people to leave their homes and families, its passive attitude and failure to act is irresponsible. The first aim of the European Union should be to save human lives and this cannot be achieved with a migration policy which is based solely on border control. FRONTEX cannot be the answer. The EU has to develop urgently a real plan to counter these moves: firstly by ensuring humanitarian aid for those in need. If the argument is that search and rescue operations have a pull effect, then the best way to dry up this lucrative source of income is: legalise it! This is the idea behind the humanitarian corridor. It is totally anachronistic to think that intensified border control will act as deterrent to stop migration flows: people will continue trying to come to Europe as the reasons driving them are stronger than the fear of risking their lives. Therefore, what we really need to do to reduce the number of people getting on these boats is to offer them alternative, safe and legal channels to enter the EU.

A humanitarian corridor can save lives, can create decent conditions and enable the regulation of flows under decent conditions. Perhaps it is easier to negotiate this concrete issue between the EU and the Member States than just call for solidarity. In order to complement these measures, Member States should put in place more favourable arrangements for people fleeing wars and seeking international protection such as flexible visa policies, extended temporary residents’ cards and improved access to healthcare and social services, following the good local examples of Germany and Sweden.

Every day of non-action has a price: Although Heads of State and of the EU came to Lampedusa on the anniversary of the tragedy last October, over 370 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean in the last two months and this trend is expected to increase if no effective measures are put in place by the European institutions.

The next step must be to continue external action to put an end to the conflicts with courage and determination, promoting economic and social development by creating the conditions for investment in the real economy and good governance: fighting the root causes of migration. The cherry on the cake will be money from the European Jobs, Growth and Investment Pact that must be invested not only in infrastructure in Europe, but also in our neighbourhood: the Middle East and North Africa. Humanism is not dead, but people continue to lose their lives because of Europe’s inactivity!