EU prepares to launch campaign against human trafficking at sea

EU member states are preparing to launch a naval operation against human trafficking in the Mediterranean, although the initial operation will be limited to increased monitoring of trafficking networks, as it has not received a "green signal" from the United Nations.

Myanmar migrants. (Source: time)

The operation will be officially launched by the foreign ministers of the 28 EU countries on June 23 in Luxembourg. According to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, this is an unprecedented military operation to capture traffickers.

Ambassadors from 28 EU countries will meet in Brussels from June 17-19 to adopt the action plan.

At a meeting on 18 June, military leaders will discuss the material and personnel contributions to the operation from each EU member state. However, the operation’s ultimate goal is to destroy the vessels used by smugglers to transport migrants closest to the Libyan coast, especially the “mother ships” used to tow temporary migrant boats out to sea.

According to European diplomatic sources, the operation is limited to listening, watching and analysing the activities of traffickers, thanks to the use of naval vessels, maritime patrol aircraft, drones and submarines. In addition, the 28 EU countries can share information on trafficking networks that are currently available to source countries such as Italy, Greece and Malta.

These are on-the-spot measures pending a decision from the UN, as the destruction of smugglers’ boats and other assets is the main objective of the EU naval operation. But it excludes the seizure and destruction of suspected vessels in Libyan waters by European navies./.

According to VIETNAM+