OPINION | Italy's "Migration Compact" Plan : Deploying an Effective EU strategy on Migration

"Migration Compact" is the deal about current migration crisis, presented by the Italian Government to the European Union, a proposal, which implements new objectives of the European political relations with third countries.

By Federica Fanuli

Editor-at-Large, IndraStra Global

Image Attribute: North African Migrants / Source: Wikipedia

Among the various themes such as the worrying nuclear and missile tests conducted by North Korea and the economic crisis, the G-7 in Japan has brought together the leaders of Germany, the US, Canada, France, Italy, the UK and Japan to discuss also about immigration, by initiating the "Migrant Compact" path, an aid plan for Africa drawn by Italy. 

"Migration Compact" is the deal about current migration crisis, presented by the Italian Government to the European Union, a proposal, which implements new objectives of the European political relations with third countries. In this particular historic moment, the plan especially redesigns affairs with African states, because it is from here that begin incessant migratory flows. The Migrant Compact, according to the general principle of a fair agreement, provides the European Union focuses on capital investment and the euro-African bond because African countries are able to borrow at lower rates than those currently set by European guarantees.

The document also talks about security and cooperation in border management and control to contain and combat illegal immigration, with Europe's commitment to offering more opportunities for legal entries, as workers, providing training and information to companies that take on these resources. Also interesting is the Erasmus Plus programs for students and researchers in order to invest in culture and education, and the resettlement programs for refugees.

In essence, it is a statement that Europe would have to pay in exchange for the African States to make asylum systems, reception, and management of migration flows about screening operations to distinguish between economic migrants and refugees, requesting international protection. The African States are called to contribute to the enormous effort of limiting the flow of refugees through the search and rescue activities, sharing the repatriation and readmission of illegal refugees, initiating most rapid processes of identification and issuance of travel documents, also depending on a possible collaboration with the European Fiscal Police. 

In fact, the pact proposes that the new "Fiscal Police" developments its own plans to coordinate the repatriation activities jointly with the African States. The Migration Compact should be financially supported through the establishment of a new Financial Action system, the Instrument for the external action in the field of migration (IEAM), and the issuance of common European bonds immigration. In addition, a new European fund should finance investments and attract the European market. The last part of the text is dedicated to the Libyan crisis. 

According to Italy, the total support to Serraj government and strengthening of the naval operation against traffickers, EUNAVFOR MED Sophia, enlarging the mandate and introducing the formation of the Libyan coast guard, because these could be some solutions aimed to reduce the range of a crisis which is likely to promote the engraftment of terrorism and the escape of thousands of Libyans. In conclusion, apart from the usual financial Merkel's skepticism on the bonds, the European Union and there is a favorable opinion to the Italian plan for immigration, the G7, led the way to an issue that threatens to become a real emergency and for which today really need a concrete global reaction.

About the Author:

Federica Fanuli (TR RID : M-9093-2015) was graduated with honours in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Salento and she has obtained a Master's Degree in Political Science, European Studies and International Relations from the same university. As a Foreign Affairs analysts, she is an editorial board member of the Institute of Global Studies, a columnist at The Sunday Sentinel, an editorial board member of Cosmopolismedia.it and Editor-at-Large at IndraStra Global. She can be reached at her Linkedin Profile.