(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) The European Commission on Wednesday presented a European Agenda on Migration aimed at taking immediate measures order to respond to illegal immigration in the Mediterranean as well as steps to be taken over the coming years.
"With this bold agenda, the European Union (EU) has proven itself ready to address the plight of those escaping from wars, persecution and poverty. Migration is a shared responsibility of all member states and the member states are called now to contribute to tackling this historical challenge" EU High Representative Federica Mogherini told a news conference presenting the agenda.
She said that the EU is working on a possible Common Security and Defense Policy operation in the Mediterranean to dismantle traffickers' networks and fight smuggling of people .
Mogherini, however, stressed that "we are not planning in any possible way any military intervention in Libya. What we are planning is a naval operation in coordination hopefully with the Libyan authorities." EU leaders during their upcoming summit in June could take a decision to launch the operation and she hoped that the UNSC could also adopt a resolution that would make the EU operation more complete, she noted.
On his part, EU Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs Dimitris Avramopoulos told the joint press conference that they are "determined to implement a comprehensive approach that will improve significantly the management of migration in Europe." He added that the agenda also proposed an EU-wide resettlement scheme to offer 20,000 places distributed in all EU member states for displaced persons in clear need of international protection in Europe with an extra funding of 50 million euro for 2015 and 2016.
Speaking at the same conference, European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said the tragic loss of life in the Mediterranean "has shocked all Europeans..
"Our citizens expect Member States and European institutions to act to prevent this tragedy from continuing unabated," he said.
In recent months, hundreds of illegal migrants mainly from Africa, drowned off the coast of Libya while trying to cross to Europe. Many thousands have been rescued on high seas.
The EU will also triple the capacities and assets for its border control agency Frontex joint operations Triton and Poseidon in 2015 and 2016.
An amending budget for 2015 was adopted today to secure the necessary funds for joint operations, a total of 89 million euro, announced Timmermans.
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