International law imposes an obligation to render assistance to persons and ships in distress at sea, which must be provided regardless of the persons' nationality or status or the circumstances in which they are found. Nevertheless, over the last couple of years, the Mediterranean Sea has been the backdrop for the largest number of casualties and missing people. One solution, proposed by academics, could be the harmonisation of the fragmented legal regime for maritime interceptions.

EPRS podcast policy - Search and rescue in the Mediterranean

<p>The number of international migrants worldwide has continued to grow rapidly in recent years, reaching 258 million in 2017, up from 220 million in 2010 and 173 million in 2000.</p>

<p>Refugee movements and migration are at the centre of global attention. In recent years, Europe has had to respond to the most severe migratory challenge since the end of the Second World War. The unprecedented arrival of refugees and irregular migrants in the EU, which peaked in 2015, exposed a series of deficiencies and gaps in EU policies on asylum, external borders and migration.</p>

Migration (2020)

Plenary session - Search and rescue in the Mediterranean (SAR)

SAR by Portuguese Viana do Castelo, Operation Poseidon 2015

SAR by Belgian vessel Godetia, Operation Triton

Tareke BRHANE ,  Martin SCHULZ - EP President , Cecile KYENGE

Martin SCHULZ  EP President meets with petitioners Mare Nostrum  Lampedusa

Maria ARENA, Eugen FREUND, Theresa GRIFFIN, Elisa FERREIRA, Evelyne GEBHARDT, Iliana IOTOVA, Udo BULLMANN, Ana GOMES, Edouard MARTIN, Susanne MELIOR, Ska KELLER, Indrek TARAND, Christine REVAULT D'ALLONNES BONNEFOY, Momchil NEKOV, Liisa JAAKONSAARI, Gabri

EP photo

Plenary session week 18 2015  in Strasbourg - Report of the extraordinary European Council meeting (23 April 2015) - The latest tragedies in the Mediterranean and EU migration and asylum policies  European Council and Commission statements

Migrants Lives Matter demonstration in solidarity with the migrants crossing Mediterranean Sea

Plenary session week 18 2015 in Strasbourg - Report of the extraordinary European Council meeting (23 April 2015) - The latest tragedies in the Mediterranean and EU migration and asylum policies  European Council and Commission statements

Donald TUSK President of the European Counil present the results of the April European Council

Report of the extraordinary European Council meeting (23 April 2015) - The latest tragedies in the Mediterranean and EU migration and asylum policies  European Council and Commission statements

Donald TUSK President of the European Council

From left to right: Mr Joseph MUSCAT, Maltese Prime Minister; Mr Robert FICO, Slovakian Prime Minister; Mr Mark RUTTE, Dutch Prime Minister; Mr Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourg Prime Minister; Ms. Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affa

Special European Council meeting on Mediterranean

Paper boat demonstration before EP Headquarters in tribute to death of migrants in the Mediterranean

SAR, Operation Triton 2015

plenary session week 41 2013 - Migration flows in the Mediterranean, with particular attention to the tragic events off Lampedusa

Plenary session - Week 41 2013 -  Minute of Silence for the victims of the Lampedusa refugees boat accident

In the context of the high human toll of migrant casualties at sea and the recent tragic shipwreck off the Greek coast, MEPs discuss the EU’s capabilities for search and rescue operations of migrants at sea and prospect of more EU action to support rescue naval operations on the Mediterranean migration routes. They also debate the role of NGO sea rescue boats, disembarkations in designated places of safety, alleged pushbacks by Member States, the implementation of an action plan announced by Commissioner Johansson in November 2022, and cooperation with third countries like Tunisia and Libya. Closing by Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs and by Pascual NAVARRO RÍOS, Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union.

The need for EU action on search and rescue in the Mediterranean: closing by Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs and by Pascual NAVARRO RÍOS, Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union

MEPs discuss the EU’s capabilities for search and rescue operations of migrants at sea. In the context of the high human toll of migrant casualties at sea and the recent tragic shipwreck off the Greek coast, MEPs debate the prospect of more EU action to support rescue naval operations on the Mediterranean migration routes. Extracts from the debate.

The need on EU action on search an rescue in the Mediterranean: extracts from the debate

In the context of the high human toll of migrant casualties at sea and the recent tragic shipwreck off the Greek coast, MEPs discuss the EU’s capabilities for search and rescue operations of migrants at sea and prospect of more EU action to support rescue naval operations on the Mediterranean migration routes. They also debate the role of NGO sea rescue boats, disembarkations in designated places of safety, alleged pushbacks by Member States, the implementation of an action plan announced by Commissioner Johansson in November 2022, and cooperation with third countries like Tunisia and Libya. Second part of MEPs debate.

The need for EU action on search and rescue in the Mediterranean: MEPs debate (part 2)

In the context of the high human toll of migrant casualties at sea and the recent tragic shipwreck off the Greek coast, MEPs discuss the EU’s capabilities for search and rescue operations of migrants at sea and prospect of more EU action to support rescue naval operations on the Mediterranean migration routes. They also debate the role of NGO sea rescue boats, disembarkations in designated places of safety, alleged pushbacks by Member States, the implementation of an action plan announced by Commissioner Johansson in November 2022, and cooperation with third countries like Tunisia and Libya. First part of MEPs debate.

The need for EU action on search and rescue in the Mediterranean: MEPs debate (part 1)

In the context of the high human toll of migrant casualties at sea and the recent tragic shipwreck off the Greek coast, MEPs discuss the EU’s capabilities for search and rescue operations of migrants at sea and prospect of more EU action to support rescue naval operations on the Mediterranean migration routes. They also debate the role of NGO sea rescue boats, disembarkations in designated places of safety, alleged pushbacks by Member States, the implementation of an action plan announced by Commissioner Johansson in November 2022, and cooperation with third countries like Tunisia and Libya. Opening statements by Pascual NAVARRO RÍOS, Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union and by Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs. The transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please, check against delivery.

The need for EU action on search and rescue in the Mediterranean: opening statements by Pascual NAVARRO RÍOS, Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union and by Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs

MEPs of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) discuss with Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, and Hans LEIJTENS, Frontex's Executive director, about the migrant boat shipwreck off the coastal town of Pylos (Greece), where on June 14 at least 79 migrants drowned and hundreds more were missing.

Exchange of views on the migrant boat shipwreck off the coast of Greece: extracts

A LIBE delegation (Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) is on a mission on search and rescue in Lampedusa (Sicily - Italy). Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (S&D, ES), Chair of the LIBE delegation, holds a press point. The transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please, check against delivery.

Press conference by Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (S&D, ES), Chair of the LIBE delegation to Sicily (Lampedusa), Mission on Search And Rescue

&lt;p>This infoclip shows refugees arriving in the Port of Lampedusa in Sicily (Italy) and being transferred to the hotspot on the island to be registered and given food and shelter.&lt;/p>

Infoclip: Migration routes - Lampedusa - Sicily (Italy)

A delegation of the Civil Liberties Committee, led by the Chair Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar (S&D, Spain, Head of the Delegation, as well as Pietro Bartolo (S&D, Italy), Sylvie Guillaume (S&D, France), Nadine Morano (EPP, France), Cornelia Ernst (The Left, Germany), Yana Toom (Renew, Estonia), Laura Ferrara (non-attached, Italy), Karlo Ressler (EPP, Croatia), Alessandra Mussolini (EPP, Italy), Giuseppe Milazzo (ECR, Italy) and Annalisa Tardino (ID, Italy) is visiting Lampedusa (Italy) from 19 to 22 June. The delegation visits the Lampedusa hotspot and meets with Filippo MANNINO, Mayor of Lampedusa and Linosa.

LIBE delegation to Sicily (Lampedusa), Mission on Search And Rescue: visit of Lampedusa hotspot , meeting with Filippo MANNINO, Mayor of Lampedusa and Linosa

A delegation of the Civil Liberties Committee, led by the Chair Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar (S&D, Spain, Head of the Delegation, as well as Pietro Bartolo (S&D, Italy), Sylvie Guillaume (S&D, France), Nadine Morano (EPP, France), Cornelia Ernst (The Left, Germany), Yana Toom (Renew, Estonia), Laura Ferrara (non-attached, Italy), Karlo Ressler (EPP, Croatia), Alessandra Mussolini (EPP, Italy), Giuseppe Milazzo (ECR, Italy) and Annalisa Tardino (ID, Italy) is visiting Lampedusa (Italy) from 19 to 22 June. The delegation meets with state representatives and later meets with NGOs.

LIBE delegation to Sicily (Lampedusa), Mission on Search And Rescue: meeting with NGOs and state representatives

Deaths at sea: a common EU response to save lives and action to ensure safe and legal pathways. Closing statements by Mairead MCGUINNESS, European Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability, and Capital Markets Union and by Jessika ROSWALL, Swedish Minister for EU Affairs.

Deaths at sea: a common EU response to save lives and action to ensure safe and legal pathways: closing statements by Mairead MCGUINNESS, European Commissioner for Financial Services and by Jessika ROSWALL, Swedish Minister for EU Affairs

MEPs take stock of solidarity and responsibility sharing in Europe as regards migration and asylum policy. The debate focuses on how to advance on the reform of the common EU migration and asylum rules, following the November 2022 action plan by the Commission for the Central Mediterranean route and the February extraordinary European Council. Second part of the debate.

Deaths at sea: a common EU response to save lives and action to ensure safe and legal pathways: MEPs debate (part 2)

MEPs take stock of solidarity and responsibility sharing in Europe as regards migration and asylum policy. The debate focuses on how to advance on the reform of the common EU migration and asylum rules, following the November 2022 action plan by the Commission for the Central Mediterranean route and the February extraordinary European Council. First part of the debate.

Deaths at sea - a common EU response to save lives and action to ensure safe and legal pathways: MEPs debate (part 1)

MEPs take stock of solidarity and responsibility sharing in Europe as regards migration and asylum policy. The debate focuses on how to advance on the reform of the common EU migration and asylum rules, following the November 2022 action plan by the Commission for the Central Mediterranean route and the February extraordinary European Council. Opening statements by Jessika ROSWALL, Swedish Minister for EU Affairs and by Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs.

Deaths at sea - a common EU response to save lives and action to ensure safe and legal pathways: opening statements by Jessika ROSWALL, Swedish Minister for EU Affairs and by Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs

First session: the Solidarity Mechanisms MEPs debated Notis MITARACHI, Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum, Stephan MAYER, Parliamentary State Secretary in the German Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, Nello MUSUMECI, President of the Sicilian Region, Catherine WOOLLARD, Secretary General European Council on Refugees.

New Pact on Migration and Asylum: debate with member states, EU bodies and NGOs: First session - the Solidarity Mechanisms - MEPs debate (first round)

First session: the Solidarity Mechanisms with the participation of Notis MITARACHI, Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum, Stephan MAYER, Parliamentary State Secretary in the German Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, Nello MUSUMECI, President of the Sicilian Region, Catherine WOOLLARD, Secretary General European Council on Refugees.

New Pact on Migration and Asylum: debate with member states, EU bodies and NGOs: First session - the Solidarity Mechanisms - Opening statements

First session: the Solidarity Mechanisms MEPs debated Notis MITARACHI, Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum, Stephan MAYER, Parliamentary State Secretary in the German Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, Nello MUSUMECI, President of the Sicilian Region, Catherine WOOLLARD, Secretary General European Council on Refugees and the contribution of Filippo GRANDI, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

New Pact on Migration and Asylum: debate with member states, EU bodies and NGOs: First session - the Solidarity Mechanisms - MEPs debate (second round)

David SASSOLI, EP President, participates to the Special European Council on the 24 May 2021. On the 25 May, he gives a press conference on his contribution to the Council and comments among other things, the sanctions after that a plane was diverted to Belarus to arrest a dissident journalist and the situation in the Mediterranean.

Special European Council, 24-25 May 2021: arrival of David SASSOLI, EP President, and roundtable (24/05) and extracts from the press conference (25/05)

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