Answer given by Ms Johansson on behalf of the European Commission
17.5.2022
The renewed EU action plan against migrant smuggling (2021-2025)[1] underlines that migrant smuggling is a cross-border criminal activity that puts the lives of migrants at risk, showing disrespect for human life and dignity in the pursuit of profit, and undermines the migration management objectives of the EU and the fundamental rights of the people concerned.
The Commission does not have a quantification of costs for the EU of irregular migration towards the EU. Approximately 50% of the networks involved in migrant smuggling are multicriminal[2]. It is estimated that smuggling networks make substantial profits ranging annually between EUR 4.7 — 6 billion worldwide[3].
IT systems at EU level, including their interoperability, contribute to preventing and combatting irregular migration. The renewed Schengen Information System (SIS) is introducing new functionalities that will help better address irregular migration[4], protect the most vulnerable and combat crime.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) will increase the knowledge on who is entering the Schengen area, to identify those who are overstaying and to increase the detection of identity fraud.
The Commission has proposed to recast the Eurodac Regulation to include in its scope those who are apprehended entering irregularly or staying illegally.
By storing and being able to search biometric data, Eurodac will contribute to reducing and detering irregular migration and support the implementation of appropriate measures by Member States.
Europol provides support to investigations of Member States, including through its Europol Information System[5].
- [1] COM(2021)591 final.
- [2] EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment 2021 (Europol).
- [3] Global study on smuggling of migrants (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2018).
- [4] Such as the possibility to issue an alert on a person who is subject to a return decision and on false documents.
- [5] The Europol Information System contains information on serious international crimes, suspected and convicted persons, criminal structures and offences and the means used to commit them. It is a reference system that can be used to check whether information on a certain person or an object of interest (such as a car, a telephone or an e-mail message) is available beyond national or organisational jurisdictions.