In a letter addressed to the European Commission, 19 EU Member States urgently call for the development of new solutions and innovative partnerships to counter migrant smuggling and irregular migration. The letter, signed for Italy by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, and the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, stresses that addressing the root causes of migration and combating smuggling networks requires strengthening the global partnerships strategy and implementing agreements with safe third countries.
Irregular migration poses significant challenges for all countries along migratory routes. According to the signatory Ministers, innovative partnerships can open up new avenues for cooperation and become an integral part of the European Union’s broader external strategy. To this end, the European Commission as a whole will need to implement targeted programmes aimed at swiftly creating the conditions conducive to new innovative partnerships. The signatories stress that all new measures must be implemented in full compliance with the international legal obligations of the Union and the Member States, and in full respect of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the European Convention on Human Rights and the applicable EU legislation.
