ROME: A coalition of migrant charities, including Sea-Watch, Alarm Phone, Sea-Eye, and SOS Humanity, among others, has condemned the European Union’s (EU) latest migration deal, maintaining that it “will cost more lives at sea.”
In a joint statement backed by over a dozen non-governmental organizations, the groups argued that the agreement, aimed at reforming the Common European Asylum System (CEAS), is a “historic failure” and a concession to right-wing political factions within Europe.
The Mediterranean Sea has long been a perilous route for migrants attempting to reach Europe on small boats, particularly in the central Mediterranean crossing between North Africa and Italy and Malta. The United Nations reports that this route has claimed more than 2,200 lives in the current year alone.
NGOs Condemns EU’s Migration Deal
The statement issued by the NGOs contends that the EU’s migration deal formalizes a status quo marked by “violence, neglect, torture, and leaving people to die” and represents a profound disregard for human rights and the humanitarian crisis at European borders. The groups argue that the EU missed an opportunity to adopt fundamental mechanisms to end the loss of life at sea.
Critics claim that the deal would introduce fast-track asylum procedures at the border to expedite returns, restricting access to protection in Europe. Furthermore, it is argued that the plans would isolate refugees in remote camps, hindering integration and providing no safe and legal routes for seeking protection within the European Union.
