25th SESSION

Strasbourg, 29-31 October 2013

CG(25)20
30 October 2013

This motion has not been discussed in the Congress and commits only the members who have signed it

Motion for a recommendation[1] on

Emergency on the Mediterranean Sea: the tragedy of Lampedusa”

Presented by:

NAME

First name

Country

1

MARZIANO

Bruno

Italy

2

RAFIK-ELMRINI

Nawel

France

3

UGUES

Agnese

Italy

4

MARRAS

Leonardo

Italy

5

TOCE

Barbara

Italy

6

SFIRLOAGA

Ludmila

Romania

7

TOSCANI

Matteo

Italy

8

VALAGUZZA

Luciano

Italy

9

MUZIO

Angelo

Italy

10

MONESI

Marco

Italy

11

CATARRA

Valter

Italy

12

BROGI

Enzo

Italy

13

PIRREDA

Maruska

Italy

14

DOGANOGLU

Gaye

Turkey

15

KHATUN

Syeda

United Kingdom

16

BROCCOLI

Vittorio

San Marino

17

TORRES PEREIRA

Artur

Portugal

18

BELLIARD

Jean-Marie

France

19

FERAL

Henry

France

20

VERRENGIA

Emilio

Italy


The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe,

noting:

-               that, for years, the Mediterranean has been a place of death for thousands of human beings, mostly from Africa and the Middle East, fleeing their respective countries, which are often the scene of civil wars, persecution, disease and famine, in an attempt to escape from death, build a future or join friends and close family members living in a European country;

-               that local and regional communities are often called upon to intervene as a matter of urgency without possessing the necessary technical and economic resources;

-               that tragedies are now taking place with depressing frequency on and near the coasts of Lampedusa;  that the tragedy which occurred a few weeks ago and which cost the lives of 370 people was the fruit of despair, one of many similar, increasingly intolerable events, and that the number of migrants who have perished in the Strait of Sicily in the last ten years is estimated at 6 200 ;

-               that Europe must shoulder collective responsibility in this area by implementing Community policies providing for solidarity between member states and guaranteeing funds for the countries most affected by these arrivals, and policies for the reception and integration of those who are granted asylum;

-               that the coastal countries from which migrants set out should be approached in order to ensure that international institutions are able to work on the spot in consultation with the local authorities to guarantee the possibility of requesting asylum;

-               that, in addition to the creation of an essential “humanitarian corridor”, action should be stepped up to counter, firmly and continuously, the transnational criminal organisations which grow rich on this human “trafficking”;

-               that it is time to rewrite the laws governing migratory movements towards Europe, a destination for which the coasts of Lampedusa in Italy are the first point of entry, that a common immigration strategy and policy are urgently needed, given the impossibility, under the existing rules, of responding to what is a real humanitarian emergency; 

-               that migration from the coasts of North Africa is a European problem and that Italy cannot be left alone to manage this problem or to guarantee full respect for dignity in the way migrants are treated. It is more necessary than ever that Europe should share this responsibility;

expresses:

-           its profound condolences for the victims and its solidarity with the survivors of the tragic sinking off the coasts of Lampedusa;

-               its full solidarity with the mayor and inhabitants of Lampedusa;

asks the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe:

-               to support legislative change and European policies that lead to the adoption of common rules on immigration and the right of asylum, promoting the lawful entry, safety, reception and integration of migrants ;

-               to work with the European Union to ensure that the issue of immigration and the right of asylum is the subject of European policies, thus leading to joint management of migration based on shared responsibility and to a gradual opening up allowing immigrants to enter lawfully.



[1] This motion should have been signed by at least 20 delegates belonging to at least four national delegations, or a political group. It may be accompanied by an explanatory memorandum. If the President finds the motion in order, it must be published during the session and is considered referred to the Bureau of the Congress for consideration and decision.

(Rules 27 and 22.1 of the Rules of Procedure of the Congress and its chambers)