Migrants in the Mediterranean: Easy and difficult solutions

There is an alternative to the dubious state of affairs in Libya today, one that avoids a return to the unsustainable situation pre-summer 2017, but is far harder to implement.

[...] In its recent Communication on the delivery of the European Agenda on Migration, the Commission is moving slowly in this direction by suggesting the launch of pilot schemes to facilitate legal migration and the use of available leverage to increase return rates to third countries. Since third-country access to EU labour markets is foremost a member state competence, the Commission has no work permits to promise on its own and hence must move cautiously in this area. In fact, member state governments must work proactively with the Commission concerning both asylum regulations and procedures as well as the facilitation of work permits. This is precisely what advocates of a better asylum and migration policy should be pushing for in their home countries. [...]

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