Hotspot - regional focus on migration – CEPOL 05/2017
The increased instability in the EU's southern neighborhood has determined the growth of the number of people trying to reach the European Union. To build an EU response to this migratory pressure, it is necessary to work in several areas.
The EU Member States are intensifying efforts to establish an effective, humanitarian and safe European migration policy. At the same time, the challenge consists in managing operational cooperation at the external borders of the European Union (EU), securitizing practices of asylum and migration in the EU, in order to prevent illegal migration.
Within the response mechanism, a key role is played by the “new hotspot approach”, as part of the immediate action to assist frontline Member States which are facing disproportionate migratory pressures at the EU’s external borders.
European Agencies, such as EASO, Frontex, Europol and Eurojust are working on the ground with the authorities of the frontline Member State to help to fulfil their obligations under EU law and swiftly identify, register and fingerprint incoming migrants.
CEPOL, as European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training, contributes to the EU effort organizing (among the others) a course dedicated to the Hotspot approach.
During the week from 19 to 23 of June, the University of Rome Tor Vergata organized and hosted the Cepol Course “05/2017 Hotspot - regional focus on migration” in Rome, Italy.
Italy has not been chosen by chance since, at the current stage, Italy and Greece are the first two Members States where this Hotspot approach is being extensively implemented.
The aim of the course was to provide a sound and specialized knowledge to experts and team leaders in order to strengthen the coordination of the intervention on the ground and the operational support provided under the Hotspot approach.
22 participants from 16 EU Member States joined the course in Rome. They were law enforcement officials, coast guard officials, experts and team leaders deployed at Hotspots in Countries facing unprecedented migration pressure.
Rapresentatives from Frontex and DG HOME contributed to the course, which was realized through the experts directly involved in the response mechanism, contributed with their experiences, giving presentations on the different aspects of the Hotspot approach.
Following the New Hotspot approach of ensuring a better collaboration between national authorities and European Agencies, the course focused on swiftly identification, registration, and fingerprint collection of incoming migrants to facilitate the relocation process and to ensure a fair distribution of refugees between EU Member States.
“The course was organized and conducted very smoothly both in terms of arrangements and topic-wise. The next course or seminar covering the same area of activity could be arranged in the same manner” (Giedrius Strikulis, Expert in Risk Analysis, Strategic Risk Management, Integrated Border management)
The course, as one of the participants stated, “was useful to obtain a general overview on the hotspot approach, practical experiences from experts and other participants who were already working in hotspots”.
The course responsible was Dr. Daniele Di Giovanni supported by Dr. Mariachiara Carestia, both members of the International Master courses in Protection Against CBRNe events – University of Rome Tor Vergata.
