Mediterranean migrant crisis: EU to launch new quarantine system

The EU is to establish a new way to quarantine migrants in Greece and Italy to enable speedier registration, fingerprinting and expulsion, as well as detention of up to 18 months should individuals be considered illegal migrants who have made their way over the Mediterranean from Libya.

Leaders met at a summit on the Mediterranean refugee crisis last Thursday to discuss ways to improve the worsening situation, and EU border control and police agencies are now expected to be given more power to deal with the rising number of illegal arrivals so they can send them back home.

Draft documents specially prepared for the summit showed that government leaders would create “structured border zones” and other facilities in the southern European member states of Italy, Greece and Malta to ensure a quicker identification, registration and fingerprinting process.

The European Commission’s proposals for the meet stated that Frontex, the bloc’s borders agency, was to be given new powers to allow it to initiate and then carry out forced deportations – something which at present can only be done by national authorities.

The EU commissioner for migration Dimitris Avramopoulos admitted that the current system was not fast or effective when it came to returning irregular migrants. He added that the system’s effectiveness needed to be improved, and he was prepared to listen to all options.