Malta agreement and emergency situation caused by arrivals in Italy
30.8.2020
Priority question for written answer P-004710/2020
to the Commission
Rule 138
Silvia Sardone (ID)
The wave of arrivals in Italy, amounting to almost 20 000 since the beginning of the year, is placing the country in serious difficulties. Infrastructures in Sicily are on the verge of collapsing under the strain, while the inhabitants of Lampedusa are rebelling at the situation. Hotspots and reception centres are now full. To make things worse, none of the migrants are being located elsewhere in Europe, the ideal of European solidarity being singularly lacking in substance. The spectacularly unsuccessful Malta agreement has now expired. Few countries actually signed up to it and the relocation and port rotation provisions have been a non-starter. In other words, Italy has been left entirely to its own devices.
In view of this:
- 1.Can the Commission give its assessment of the situation surrounding the failure of the Malta agreement?
- 2.Why has Europe left Italy to its own devices in dealing with the new arrivals?
- 3.Why are no effective countermeasures being taken to prevent clandestine migration?