International

On 1st November the Italian government will cease its large-scale commitment of its own navy to the rescue of refugees threatened by death as their ships founder in Italian waters. Eight European Union member states, including the Netherlands, will take over some of the tasks needed, but will have to do what they can with a third of the money previously available. The operation, moreover, will be performed under the aegis of Frontex, the service responsible for guarding the EU’s exterior frontier, and as such is not specifically directed at saving the lives of drowning people. Amnesty International is hugely concerned about the situation now arising. The SP shares these concerns. Italy must fulfil its international obligations and continue to perform active rescue operations. The member states and the European Commission must now step up the pressure on Italy and not wait for the next shipwreck with hundreds of victims. At the same time a structural solution must be sought, in cooperation with Italy, for the enormous numbers of migrants and refugees looking to enter the EU via Italy. Work must at last be started on the establishment of a European asylum centre.