Why is everyone talking about migration to the EU?
Everyone is always talking about migration to the EU, particularly in this country. But today they're talking about it because the UK has spoken out against search and rescue operations aimed at helping migrants crossing the Mediterranean. The Home Office has told the Guardian they will only be sending one land-based officer to help out with the EU border control operation Triton. Operation Triton is supported by the EU border control agency Frontex and will involve aircraft and boats patrolling a limited area of sea near the Italian coast, looking for migrants travelling to Italy. The primary function of the operation is to secure the EU's borders, but those involved will carry out search and rescue operations if they come across migrants in serious danger. Operation Triton is still expected to launch on Saturday with equipment from states including France, Spain and the Netherlands.
Why won't the Home Office support the search and rescue element of operation Triton? In a written answer in the House of Lords, the new Home Office Minister Lady Anelay said that search and rescue missions might lead to an “unintended pull factor,” encouraging more migrants to attempt the crossing to Europe. In a statement today, the Home Office added that Ministers across Europe had spoken out along similar lines. In short: if potential migrants believe they might be rescued from death they are more likely to make the trip to the EU. Frontex doesn't outright deny that this could be a contributing factor, but a spokeswoman said the factors which contribute to migration levels along this route are wide ranging and said it was very important to consider the situation in Libya, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere when analysing the reasons why immigrants make the journey to the EU. Franck Duvell, a Senior Researcher at Compas, said that while there is some “anecdotal evidence” to suggest that search and rescue operations might encourage migrants to travel, he doubted that in this case it had contributed in any significant sense.
Where are these migrants coming from? Migrants come to the EU by a range of routes, but Frontex says the immigrants which operation Triton will encounter are those entering by two specific pathways: the Apulia and Calabria Route and the Central Mediterranean Route. The former covers irregular migration from Turkey and Egypt into Italy, and also includes movement between Greece and Italy. The latter refers to people crossing from Northern Africa towards Italy and Malta. In the second quarter of 2014, the most prominent nationalities using these routes were Eritrean and Syrian.
How heavy is the flow of migrants on these routes? While the number of migrants detected on the Apulia and Calabria route in the second quarter of 2014 was close to average, the Central Mediterranean route is under colossal demand. There have been over 134,000 migrants detected there this year, with the highest level since records began in 2007 detected last quarter. This route has seen fluctuating levels of movement throughout the “Arab Spring” and subsequent conflicts. It is being put under particular pressure now by Libya's collapse into what a Frontex spokeswoman called a “failed state.” Libya has long served as a hub for African migrants, but when the country was faring better it often became their final destination. Now, the lack of law enforcement in Libya means that people traffickers based in the North African state run a low risk, high profit operation ferrying people to the EU.
What will happen next? In a statement today, the Home Office said it is “considering a further contribution” to Operation Triton, though whether this would include support for maritime operations or just further land-based support is unclear. Lib Dem former Children's Minister Sarah Teather and Labour backbencher Diane Abbot have both condemned the decision, as has Amnesty International. But without more high-profile opposition, there is likely to be little substantial change, particularly given perceived public hostility toward immigrants, and the political toxicity of foreign aid in general.
Why won't the Home Office support the search and rescue element of operation Triton? In a written answer in the House of Lords, the new Home Office Minister Lady Anelay said that search and rescue missions might lead to an “unintended pull factor,” encouraging more migrants to attempt the crossing to Europe. In a statement today, the Home Office added that Ministers across Europe had spoken out along similar lines. In short: if potential migrants believe they might be rescued from death they are more likely to make the trip to the EU. Frontex doesn't outright deny that this could be a contributing factor, but a spokeswoman said the factors which contribute to migration levels along this route are wide ranging and said it was very important to consider the situation in Libya, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere when analysing the reasons why immigrants make the journey to the EU. Franck Duvell, a Senior Researcher at Compas, said that while there is some “anecdotal evidence” to suggest that search and rescue operations might encourage migrants to travel, he doubted that in this case it had contributed in any significant sense.
Where are these migrants coming from? Migrants come to the EU by a range of routes, but Frontex says the immigrants which operation Triton will encounter are those entering by two specific pathways: the Apulia and Calabria Route and the Central Mediterranean Route. The former covers irregular migration from Turkey and Egypt into Italy, and also includes movement between Greece and Italy. The latter refers to people crossing from Northern Africa towards Italy and Malta. In the second quarter of 2014, the most prominent nationalities using these routes were Eritrean and Syrian.
How heavy is the flow of migrants on these routes? While the number of migrants detected on the Apulia and Calabria route in the second quarter of 2014 was close to average, the Central Mediterranean route is under colossal demand. There have been over 134,000 migrants detected there this year, with the highest level since records began in 2007 detected last quarter. This route has seen fluctuating levels of movement throughout the “Arab Spring” and subsequent conflicts. It is being put under particular pressure now by Libya's collapse into what a Frontex spokeswoman called a “failed state.” Libya has long served as a hub for African migrants, but when the country was faring better it often became their final destination. Now, the lack of law enforcement in Libya means that people traffickers based in the North African state run a low risk, high profit operation ferrying people to the EU.
What will happen next? In a statement today, the Home Office said it is “considering a further contribution” to Operation Triton, though whether this would include support for maritime operations or just further land-based support is unclear. Lib Dem former Children's Minister Sarah Teather and Labour backbencher Diane Abbot have both condemned the decision, as has Amnesty International. But without more high-profile opposition, there is likely to be little substantial change, particularly given perceived public hostility toward immigrants, and the political toxicity of foreign aid in general.
