September 18, 2023
location_onItaly
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited the Italian island of Lampedusa on Sunday to address the challenges posed by an influx of migrants, unveiling a 10-point European Union action plan aimed at assisting Italy in managing the situation.
During a joint press statement with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Lampedusa, von der Leyen emphasized the commitment of Italian and European authorities to provide a coordinated response to the migrant situation and asserted their determination to uphold control over those who enter the European Union and under what circumstances. “And not the smugglers and traffickers,” she added.
“Migration is a European challenge that requires a European answer and solution. It is concrete actions that will bring change on the ground. It is only through solidarity and unity that we can achieve this. And you can count on the European Union.”
The “10-point Plan for Lampedusa” outlines measures including increased E.U. agency support, transfers of migrants to other Member States with a focus on vulnerable groups, enhanced returns and anti-smuggling efforts, border surveillance, and cooperation with relevant international organizations to address the situation comprehensively.
“We work every day to maintain the commitments we have signed with you, in every area, starting from the restoration of legality and the fight against illegal immigration,” Meloni wrote on X.
