The Malta Declaration is a declaration made on 3 February 2017 during the
European migrant crisis by leaders of the
European Union in
Malta, which at the time held the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union, that focuses on measures to stem the flow of
immigration from
Libya to
Italy and the EU.
In 2016 over 4,500 people died on the
Central Mediterranean route
The 2015 European migrant crisis, also known internationally as the Syrian refugee crisis, was a period of significantly increased movement of refugees and migrants into Europe in 2015, when 1.3 million people came to the continent to request ...
and over 181,000 irregular migrants arrived this way.
[
A senior EU diplomat noted this to be a long-term strategy.][
The declaration states that "efforts to ]stabilize
Stabilizer, stabiliser, stabilisation or stabilization may refer to:
Chemistry and food processing
* Stabilizer (chemistry), a substance added to prevent unwanted change in state of another substance
** Polymer stabilizers are stabilizers use ...
Libya are now more important than ever, and the EU will do its utmost to contribute to that objective" and that "with hundreds having already lost their lives in 2017 and spring approaching, he EU isdetermined to take additional action to significantly reduce migratory flows along the Central Mediterranean route and break the business model of smugglers".[
]
The plan
The plan includes increasing training and equipment for the Libyan coastguard, further efforts to block smuggling
Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.
There are various ...
routes, increasing assisted voluntary return activities, increasing EU involvement with countries near Libya, supporting local communities on migration routes and in coastal areas to improve their socio-economic situation.
The declaration also declares the need to ensure "adequate reception capacities and conditions" in Libya for migrants in cooperation with the UNHCR and IOM.
The European Commission will mobilise an initial €200 million in additional funding for the implementation of the declaration.
See also
* Immigration policy
Border control refers to measures taken by governments to monitor and regulate the movement of people, animals, and goods across land, air, and maritime borders. While border control is typically associated with international borders, it a ...
* Khartoum process
The Khartoum process is an inter-regional forum on migration covering the Horn of Africa and Europe. Its members are the African Union Commission
The Commission of the African Union acts as the executive/administrative branch or secretariat of ...
* Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
*
References
{{reflist
External links
Malta Declaration by the members of the European Council on the external aspects of migration: addressing the Central Mediterranean route
full declaration
February 2017 events in Europe
Immigration to the European Union
Declarations of the European Union
2017 in the European Union
2017 in Malta