European Commission ready to allocate $117 million to solve migration issue

The European Commission (EC) is ready to allocate an additional 110 million euros ($117 million) in 2023 to address the problems associated with migration.

“Given the growing migration pressure, the European Commission is ready to mobilise an additional 110 million euros in 2023 for projects in North Africa in addition to already allocated 208 million euros,” including to combat smuggling of migrants,” according to a letter sent by the head of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen, to the heads of state and government of the EU countries on the eve of the community summit, which will be held in Brussels on March 23-24, Early Bulletins reports.

The migration issue has long been a stumbling block between EU countries. The greatest burden of receiving arrivals by sea falls on the southern European countries: Italy, Greece, Malta, Cyprus, Spain, which are subject to the provision of the Dublin agreements on the need to provide reception in the country of arrival. At the same time, many people arriving from African and Asian countries are economic migrants and tend to the Nordic countries.

The EU has repeatedly spoken about the revision of the Dublin agreements, but so far only an agreement on the redistribution of migrants on a voluntary basis has been achieved. Italy is trying to crack down on illegal migration by tightening rules for non-governmental organisations involved in rescuing those in distress at sea.

The theme of migration has again become aggravated in connection with the latest tragedy off the coast of the Italian southern region of Calabria. The shipwreck on February 26 killed at least 87 migrants.