05-04-2017, 10:14 PM
*** 5-May-17 World View -- Italy prepares for possible Mediterranean refugee crisis this summer
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** Italy prepares for possible Mediterranean refugee crisis this summer
****
![[Image: g170504b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g170504b.jpg)
Migrants packed into an overcrowded dinghy by human traffickers (EPA)
The European Union is working on an emergency plan in case a "serious
crisis" develops this summer, which would be the situation is 200,000
or more refugees cross the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy.
In 2016, a record 181,000 migrants crossed from North Africa to Italy
via the Mediterranean Sea. From January 1 to April 23 of this year,
36,851 migrants were recorded as crossing -- a 45% increase over the
same period last year. Even more concerning is the fact that summer
hasn't even arrived, and when it does, a huge surge of migrants is
expected. The concerns are that total for the year may be close to
300,000.
According to the Dublin Agreement that defines the principles of the
European Union, member states are expected to show "solidarity" in
managing the refugee problem, so that the entire burden doesn't fall
on Italy. However, there's little agreement on what the term
"solidarity" means. The current requirements are that refugees should
be distributed to all 28 member states. The target last year for
relocation was 160,000 asylum seekers, but because several member
states object to having any asylum seekers at all relocated to their
countries, only about 15,000 people have been distributed so far in
the last two years.
One proposed solution is that cash will be used to encourage countries
to meet their quotas. The proposal is that each country will be paid
€60,000 for every asylum seeker they take in above their assigned
quota, and those not meeting their quotas would be charged the same
amount.
On Thursday, the European Commission issued a press release proposing
"a sustainable and fair Common European Asylum System." According to
Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU Commissioner for Migration and Home
Affairs:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"If the current refugee crisis has shown one thing, it
> is that the status quo of our Common European Asylum System is not
> an option. The time has come for a reformed and more equitable
> system, based on common rules and a fairer sharing of
> responsibility. With the proposed reform of the Dublin system,
> [and the creation of a] true European Agency for Asylum, today we
> are taking a major step in the right direction and putting in
> place the European-level structures and tools necessary for a
> future-proof comprehensive system. We will now put all our efforts
> into working side-by-side with the European Parliament and Member
> States. We must turn these proposals into reality as swiftly as
> possible."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
If the history of the past two years shows anything, it's that no
current proposal has any chance of working. If move than 200,000
migrants from Libya reach the shores of Italy this year, it truly will
be a crisis. Der Spiegel and EU Observer (27-Mar) and European Commission and Malta Today
****
**** Europeans blame China and 'the freeway effect' for the migrant crisis
****
Decades ago, when America was first building a national highway
system, people talked about "the freeway effect." If some particular
auto route was always jammed with heavy traffic, then a limited access
superhighway (also called a "freeway") would be built to replace it.
However, with the availability of the new freeway, a lot more people
would start driving, and so pretty soon the traffic would be just as
bad as ever. That was "the freeway effect."
The same kind of thing is happening in the Mediterranean. After some
well-publicized drowning of hundreds of migrants in capsized boats,
the European Union has made enormous efforts rescue migrants who might
otherwise drown. Furthermore, the EU's Frontex organization has been
joined by dozens of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) that are
also rescuing migrants crossing the Mediterranean. As greater efforts
have been made, more migrants have been encouraged to risk making the
trip, contributing to the worsening of the migrant crisis, and
creating a "taxi service to Europe."
A scandal is brewing over the NGOs. Carmelo Zuccaro, an Italian
prosecutor is claiming to have evidence that some of the NGOs are
colluding with the human traffickers who send the migrants out on
flimsy boats to be rescued, with the suggestion that some of the NGOs
are encouraging the increase in migrant traffic in order to receive
more funding.
The human traffickers have become increasingly unscrupulous in taking
advantage of the massive rescue efforts. For example, they've been
packing up to 170 people onto inflatable rubber dinghies that can only
safely transport 15 people. The engines have only enough fuel to make
it out of Libyan waters, and the smugglers have been relying on the
rescue efforts by Frontex and the NGOs to save the migrants from
drowning. However, over 1,000 migrants have already lost their lives
this year alone in the Mediterranean.
Some EU officials are blaming China for the problem.
In a story about migrants
early
last year, I reported that human traffickers were importing massive
numbers of rubber dinghies manufactured in China, transshipped through
Malta.
Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU Commissioner for Migration and Home
Affairs, whom we quoted earlier, is visiting China this week, and made
this statement:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"The rubber boats used by the smuggler networks in the
> Mediterranean are fabricated somewhere in China, they are exported
> to the countries in Asia and they are used by them. So I
> requested the support and cooperation from the Chinese authorities
> in order to track down this business and dismantle it, because
> what they produce is not serving the common good of the
> country. It is a very dangerous tool in the hands of ruthless
> smugglers."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
There's no word on whether the Chinese government is going to help out
Europe by shutting down its rubber dinghy business. Reuters and New Arab (23-Apr) and Reuters
Related Articles
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, European Union, Italy, Libya, North Africa,
Dublin Agreement, Dimitris Avramopoulos, Carmelo Zuccaro, China
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- Italy prepares for possible Mediterranean refugee crisis this summer
- Europeans blame China and 'the freeway effect' for the migrant crisis
****
**** Italy prepares for possible Mediterranean refugee crisis this summer
****
Migrants packed into an overcrowded dinghy by human traffickers (EPA)
The European Union is working on an emergency plan in case a "serious
crisis" develops this summer, which would be the situation is 200,000
or more refugees cross the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy.
In 2016, a record 181,000 migrants crossed from North Africa to Italy
via the Mediterranean Sea. From January 1 to April 23 of this year,
36,851 migrants were recorded as crossing -- a 45% increase over the
same period last year. Even more concerning is the fact that summer
hasn't even arrived, and when it does, a huge surge of migrants is
expected. The concerns are that total for the year may be close to
300,000.
According to the Dublin Agreement that defines the principles of the
European Union, member states are expected to show "solidarity" in
managing the refugee problem, so that the entire burden doesn't fall
on Italy. However, there's little agreement on what the term
"solidarity" means. The current requirements are that refugees should
be distributed to all 28 member states. The target last year for
relocation was 160,000 asylum seekers, but because several member
states object to having any asylum seekers at all relocated to their
countries, only about 15,000 people have been distributed so far in
the last two years.
One proposed solution is that cash will be used to encourage countries
to meet their quotas. The proposal is that each country will be paid
€60,000 for every asylum seeker they take in above their assigned
quota, and those not meeting their quotas would be charged the same
amount.
On Thursday, the European Commission issued a press release proposing
"a sustainable and fair Common European Asylum System." According to
Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU Commissioner for Migration and Home
Affairs:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"If the current refugee crisis has shown one thing, it
> is that the status quo of our Common European Asylum System is not
> an option. The time has come for a reformed and more equitable
> system, based on common rules and a fairer sharing of
> responsibility. With the proposed reform of the Dublin system,
> [and the creation of a] true European Agency for Asylum, today we
> are taking a major step in the right direction and putting in
> place the European-level structures and tools necessary for a
> future-proof comprehensive system. We will now put all our efforts
> into working side-by-side with the European Parliament and Member
> States. We must turn these proposals into reality as swiftly as
> possible."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
If the history of the past two years shows anything, it's that no
current proposal has any chance of working. If move than 200,000
migrants from Libya reach the shores of Italy this year, it truly will
be a crisis. Der Spiegel and EU Observer (27-Mar) and European Commission and Malta Today
****
**** Europeans blame China and 'the freeway effect' for the migrant crisis
****
Decades ago, when America was first building a national highway
system, people talked about "the freeway effect." If some particular
auto route was always jammed with heavy traffic, then a limited access
superhighway (also called a "freeway") would be built to replace it.
However, with the availability of the new freeway, a lot more people
would start driving, and so pretty soon the traffic would be just as
bad as ever. That was "the freeway effect."
The same kind of thing is happening in the Mediterranean. After some
well-publicized drowning of hundreds of migrants in capsized boats,
the European Union has made enormous efforts rescue migrants who might
otherwise drown. Furthermore, the EU's Frontex organization has been
joined by dozens of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) that are
also rescuing migrants crossing the Mediterranean. As greater efforts
have been made, more migrants have been encouraged to risk making the
trip, contributing to the worsening of the migrant crisis, and
creating a "taxi service to Europe."
A scandal is brewing over the NGOs. Carmelo Zuccaro, an Italian
prosecutor is claiming to have evidence that some of the NGOs are
colluding with the human traffickers who send the migrants out on
flimsy boats to be rescued, with the suggestion that some of the NGOs
are encouraging the increase in migrant traffic in order to receive
more funding.
The human traffickers have become increasingly unscrupulous in taking
advantage of the massive rescue efforts. For example, they've been
packing up to 170 people onto inflatable rubber dinghies that can only
safely transport 15 people. The engines have only enough fuel to make
it out of Libyan waters, and the smugglers have been relying on the
rescue efforts by Frontex and the NGOs to save the migrants from
drowning. However, over 1,000 migrants have already lost their lives
this year alone in the Mediterranean.
Some EU officials are blaming China for the problem.
In a story about migrants
early
last year, I reported that human traffickers were importing massive
numbers of rubber dinghies manufactured in China, transshipped through
Malta.
Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU Commissioner for Migration and Home
Affairs, whom we quoted earlier, is visiting China this week, and made
this statement:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"The rubber boats used by the smuggler networks in the
> Mediterranean are fabricated somewhere in China, they are exported
> to the countries in Asia and they are used by them. So I
> requested the support and cooperation from the Chinese authorities
> in order to track down this business and dismantle it, because
> what they produce is not serving the common good of the
> country. It is a very dangerous tool in the hands of ruthless
> smugglers."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
There's no word on whether the Chinese government is going to help out
Europe by shutting down its rubber dinghy business. Reuters and New Arab (23-Apr) and Reuters
Related Articles
- EU migrant crisis moves to Italy as Austria begins closing border (13-Apr-2016)
- In a new catastrophe, hundreds of migrants drown in the Mediterranean Sea (19-Apr-2016)
- European Union nations in crisis agree on a migration plan for refugees (26-Oct-2015)
- 400 die as illegal migrants flood into Italy from Libya (15-Apr-2015)
- Europeans expect hundreds of thousands of migrants from Libya (30-Mar-2016)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, European Union, Italy, Libya, North Africa,
Dublin Agreement, Dimitris Avramopoulos, Carmelo Zuccaro, China
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
