As about 40,000 refugees and migrants have arrived in Europe via maritime routes in 2018 to date, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UNHCR call for a common approach to implement a predictable and responsible disembarkation mechanism that prioritizes human rights and safety first.
The current proposal for a regional disembarkation mechanism aims to ensure two key things:
- People rescued-at-sea in international waters are quickly disembarked in a predictable manner in line with international maritime law, in conditions that uphold respect for their rights including non-refoulement, and avoid serious harm or other risks;
- Responsible post-disembarkation processing, supported – as appropriate- by IOM and UNHCR, leads to rapid and effective differentiated solutions and reduces onward movement through an effective cooperative arrangement.
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To achieve that, IOM proposed a 6-steps plan, which is the following:
Step 1 – Disembarkation: The determination of places of disembarkation at presently utilized and identified disembarkation centres in EU territory, in a manner that ensures respect for human rights, and the principle of non-refoulement, is vital.
Step 2 – Reception Arrangements: Those rescued at sea should be disembarked promptly and transported to State-operated reception centres providing adequate, safe and dignified reception conditions.
Step 3 – Profiling: States should distinguish between various categories of persons, including persons seeking international protection, and those whose specific needs may require some form of temporary protection. Options for voluntary return and reintegration should at any stage be available.
Step 4 – Solution for Refugees: For persons disembarked within the EU there would be eligibility assessment for possible transfer to another EU Member State.
For persons disembarked outside the EU, solutions would include third country resettlement and humanitarian admission, in addition to family reunification, local solutions, as well as voluntary repatriation and reintegration in their home country.
Step 5 – Solutions for persons with specific needs: People not in need of international protection, but who find themselves in a vulnerable situation justifying permission to remain on a temporary basis are a category in need of tailored responses.
Step 6 – People in need of assistance to return to their countries of origin: People with no claim to international protection or specific needs and who are not eligible to stay in the country of disembarkation would be returned to their country of origin.
Lately, the Mediterranean has experienced many problems with migrant ships being rejected, mostly by Italy.
Italy’s new government has closed its ports to humanitarian ships that rescue migrants off Libya, and is not accepting migrants sent back from the German border. Namely, charity rescue vessels with foreign flags will not be allowed in Italian ports.
In the beginning of July, the humanitarian boat ‘Open Arms’, which was carrying 60 migrants, docked in Barcelona on Wednesday July 4, as it was scheduled. The ship ended up in Spain after Malta and Italy had rejected it, indicating the differences in the immigration policies of European countries.
In addition, the Dutch-flagged ship ‘Lifeline’ with about 230 rescued migrants on board for almost a week, finally docked in Malta on June 27. This development ended the dispute between Malt and Italy which refused to let the ship into one of its ports.
Finally, Malta detained another humanitarian ship on Monday July 2. The ship normally rescues boat migrants off the coast of Libya, where two shipwrecks have cost the lives of 200 people recently.
The Sea Watch 3 vessel requested to leave the port after maintenance was performed to it, but the port authority refused, Reuters reported. The port authorities mentioned that the ship’s status is currently under review.
