Role of NGOs in migrant rescues

12.12.2016

Question for written answer P-009331-16
to the Commission
Rule 130
Lorenzo Fontana (ENF)

According to a survey by the research institute Gefira, 15 ships belonging to various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) transported around 39 000 people to the Italian coast in October and November. The statistics were gathered through marinetraffic.com, a website which monitors global maritime traffic. According to Gefira, the NGO vessels sail from the Italian coast to Libyan territorial waters and pick up migrants having difficulty in their precarious boats.

Given the difficult migratory situation and the danger of fuelling shameful human trafficking, can the Commission say:

• —whether it is aware of the Gefira survey, and how it justifies its revelations;
• —whether it has ever conducted any investigations into the work of the NGOs?