EU border agency reports spike in illegal immigration

The European Union's border agency Frontex says that illegal immigration into the EU rose by ten percent in the first half of 2023 compared to a year ago, with Mediterranean routes accounting for most of the arrivals.

FILE PHOTO: Refugees and migrants arrive in a dinghy accompanied by Frontex vessels at the village of Skala Sikaminias, on the Greek island of Lesbos, after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey in 2020. AP - Michael Varaklas

The EU's Frontex border and coast guard agency reported on Monday that there were 132,370 attempts to get into the EU outside of regular border crossings from the start of the year until the end of June, saying that it marked a 10 percent rise on the same period in 2022.

Frontex added that central Mediterranean crossings were up more than a third and accounted for half the overall number as arrivals from Tunisia to Italy grew.

Traffic on all the other routes into the EU was down from the first half of 2022.

"Sub-saharan migrants in #Tunisia are "trying as hard as they can" to get out of the country following weeks of racist violence (...) despite the EU signing a migration pact with Tunisia", reports @euobs ➡️ https://t.co/fSYRv5samT

Why? Tunisia is simply not safe for them⤵️

— Alice Autin (@aliceautin) August 1, 2023

EU - Tunisia deal under scrutiny

Earlier this month, the EU signed an agreement with Tunisia to stem irregular migration to the bloc, which is determined to keep a tight lid on sea arrivals ahead of European elections due next year.

The EU has long pushed to bring down irregular immigration from the Middle East, Africa and Asia despite criticism from rights groups that it is propping up rulers with poor democratic credentials to achieve that.

The EU's rights watchdog said it would probe the Tunisia deal and is already looking into whether Frontex honours human rights obligations, including the duty to rescue lives at sea, while helping manage the external borders of the 27-nation bloc.

We have opened an inquiry to clarify @Frontex role in search and rescue sea operations following the drowning of over 500 people off the Greek coast on 14 June.

📌 https://t.co/xsbhJc7Fec

🧵 pic.twitter.com/LujQm2DZOg

— European Ombudsman (@EUombudsman) July 26, 2023

Probe into Frontex role in migrant deaths 

The European Union's official watchdog also opened an investigation last week into the role of Frontex in the tragedy off Greece last month that is feared to have killed hundreds of people. 

As migrant crossings in unseaworthy boats organised by human traffickers from North Africa spiked this year – with massive losses of life – EU ombudsman Emily O'Reilly wants her investigation to make clear to the public “who is accountable for these deaths.”

As it stands, Frontex has unclear jurisdiction and limits to its authority over member states like Greece when it comes to addressing the needs of those in distress on the high seas. 

• Tunisia and EU sign pact to fight illegal immigration

Key questions raised by the tragedy include to what extent Frontex could have been more involved in the rescue, what exactly did it communicate to Greek authorities and what level of responsibility, if any, the agency has for the shipwreck.

As many as 750 people may have been on board the migrant ship that sank in the Mediterranean on 14 June and just over 100 people survived the shipwreck.

Greece has been widely criticised for not trying to save the migrants before the sinking in international waters.

Officials in Athens maintain the passengers refused any help and insisted on proceeding to Italy, adding that it would have been too dangerous to try and evacuate hundreds of unwilling people off an overcrowded ship.

Frontex has said it will fully cooperate with the investigation.