The European Commission has gathered representatives from EU Member States, partner countries, International Organisations and other stakeholders for a conference to forge a Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling. The gathering took place in Brussels, on 28 November, with the aim to better fight the criminals who overload unseaworthy boats and stuff people into trucks, making money off the desperation of people.
This week's conference takes place following President Ursula von der Leyen's announcement in this year's State of the Union Address. On that occasion she highlighted the importance of working together to end the criminal smuggling business.
President von der Leyen opened the conference and presented the Commission's whole-of-route approach to bring together countries of origin, transit, and destination, international organisations and other stakeholders to combat migrant smuggling.
The President launched a Call to Action to start a "new era of cooperation". The Call will be open to everybody who wishes to sign up and it contains a series of initiatives for national governments, International Organisations, and online service providers.
Migrant smuggling is a multibillion-euro business, with well-organised, multinational criminal networks operating at all stops along the migration routes – from the country of origin, spanning through transit countries, and all the way to countries of destination.
Furthermore, these criminal groups are usually also involved in drug trafficking and the illegal arms trade, which means their activity constitutes a wider security problem. The grave effects of their crimes, their transnational organisation, and the high adaptability of their operation, underlines why a strong and united response to this phenomenon is necessary.
The Call to Action encourages national governments to develop and reinforce their national legal frameworks and improve cooperation on border management and information sharing to more effectively crack down on smugglers.
Notably, governments should work to dissuade people from falling victim to the smugglers entrusting them with their lives. "The best way to avoid violence and death along the route is to avoid that the dangerous trip takes place," President von der Leyen told the audience. Awareness raising campaigns on the risks of irregular migration and migrant smuggling are important tools to that end.
Joint law enforcement investigations and operational cooperation, alongside stronger cooperation on a judicial level and in financial investigations will help members of this Global Alliance to effectively counter migrant smuggling and put an end to the suffering of the victims.
Moreover, countries should also promote alternatives to irregular migration. Legal migration can be an opportunity for all. As the President said, "in Europe, labour and skills shortages have reached record levels. In other continents, there are millions of people who seek to work and learn. And we must manage this in a way that is safe, humane and mutually beneficial".
That is why the Commission has put forward initiatives like the EU Talent Pool and the Talent Partnerships, which give opportunities to nationals in third countries to come study, train, and work in the EU.
International organisations are called to promote cooperation and awareness among all global actors about the multifaceted task of fighting smuggling. They should also provide capacity building and ensure the effective implementation of international cooperation mechanisms.
Additionally, the Call to Action identifies a special role for online service providers. As criminal networks regularly use online platforms to advertise and organise their nefarious offers to potential victims, curtailing their use of these recruiting grounds is of key importance. In close collaboration with governments, international organisations and especially law enforcement agencies, platforms need to become more effective in identifying and taking down online content by criminal actors.
Updated EU tools to combat migrant smuggling
Coinciding with the international conference, the European Commission also presented new legislative proposals that update the current, 20-year-old legal framework. It will, for example, establish a clearer definition of the smuggling offence, allow for harsher penalties that reflect the seriousness of these crimes, and improve information-gathering. A proposed regulation will further bolster Europol's role in the fight against migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings, elevating the role of the European Centre against Migrant Smuggling to a true European dimension along strategic areas.
