BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is failing to learn key lessons on how to discourage migrants from Africa from leaving for Europe without permission and could do more to limit abuse against people attempting the journey, the EU’s financial watchdog warned on Wednesday.
The findings are contained in a report by the European Court of Auditors on the bloc Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, a multibillion-euro programme hastily set up in 2015 after more than 1 million migrants arrived in Europe, many fleeing the war in Syria that had overstretched aid efforts in Italy and Greece.
It was intended to address the root causes of migration in Africa, such as poverty, conflict or unemployment. Initially, 1.8 billion euros ($2 billion) was available to be distributed across hundreds of projects, but today that amount has grown to around 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion).
The fund is managed by the EU’s powerful executive arm, the European Commission.
“Despite the lessons learned … the Commission is still unable to identify and report on the most efficient and effective approaches to curbing irregular migration,” Bettina Jakobsen, the EU’s lead auditor for the inquiry, told reporters.
Jakobsen said the commission “must target aid more thoroughly to what is really urgent and needed in specific areas and specific countries.”
She also said that “human rights risks have not been properly addressed by the Commission, and there are weaknesses in the accuracy and sustainability of reported results.” In addition, “Brussels lacked adequate procedures for recording and following up on allegations of human rights violations.”
The auditors were aware of 10 officials who reported possible rights violations in Libya — one of the most important principles for people desperate to try to cross the Mediterranean to Europe – but the commission had recorded only one allegation.
The accountants were unable to determine whether any follow-up was given to that report. UN-appointed investigator has said that EU assistance to the Libyan migration department and coast guard “aided and abetted the commission of crimes,” including crimes against humanity. The commission rejects the accusation.
The auditors also warned of shortcomings in the use of EU funds and equipment intended to improve maritime surveillance and reduce deaths at sea. The International Organization for Migration estimates that around 30,000 people have died or gone missing trying to cross the Mediterranean since 2014.
The report said that EU-funded “equipment could be used by actors other than the intended beneficiaries”, or that Libyan personnel trained by Europeans “may not be bound by the principle of ‘do no harm’”. Beneficiaries of the funds could also refuse to allow regulators to monitor how they use the money.
In December, the auditors visited the site of a maritime rescue coordination centre on the Libyan coast. Italy was commissioned in 2017 to help the Libyans set it up. Millions of euros were set aside for the task and containers of equipment were sent, but seven years later it is still not operational.
Under international rules governing the safety of life at sea — rules recognized and accepted by the EU — Libya must have such a center and staff it permanently. In the meantime, Italy has largely coordinated efforts in Libyan waters and decided which ships should respond to emergencies.
The committee has largely adopted the report’s recommendations on possible improvements.
It was recognised that there is a need to further strengthen the capacity to identify and mitigate risks, including by defining specific activities or output indicators in sectors with high human rights risk. This will be addressed by providing more detailed sectoral guidance material and training.
The Commission underlined that the fund had sent 73,215 migrants voluntarily back to their home countries last year. In the first half of 2023, 11,087 jobs were created or supported, mainly in Guinea and Senegal, while 23,266 people received skills training.
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