Urgent steps to address ongoing challenges in the Central Mediterranean

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Mr Vít Rakušan, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Interior

Amnesty International letter in view of the extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council to take place on 25 November 2022, which has been called following the recent standoff between member states on the disembarkation of refugees and migrants rescued by NGO vessels in the Central Mediterranean Sea. We wish to outline our key concerns regarding the current situation, identify shortcomings with the Commission’s proposed Action Plan, and highlight our proposals for EU institutions and Member States to address immediate challenges in an effective, principled and sustainable manner.

Amnesty International would like to draw the Ministers’ attention to our comprehensive Plan of Action published last year, with the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) and Human Rights Watch, to address the ongoing challenges along the Central Mediterranean route.