Committees

NGOs and academics give evidence on migrant smuggling

22 July 2015

On Wednesday 22 July, the House of Lords EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee, in its second evidence session of its inquiry into the EU Action Plan against migrant smuggling, questions Human Rights organisations and academics on the current migration crisis facing the EU.

Witnesses

Wednesday 22 July, Committee Room 3, Palace of Westminster

At 10.30am

  • David Mepham, UK Director, Human Rights Watch
  • Steven Symonds, Co-Director, Refugee and Migrants Rights programme, Amnesty International

At 11.30am

  • Elizabeth Collet, Director, Migration Policy Institute Europe
  • Franck Düvell, Associate Professor and Senior Researcher, COMPAS, University of Oxford

Possible questions

The Committee will ask NGOs:

  • Can action against migrant smuggling contribute to addressing the root causes of irregular migration?
  • Does the existing international framework strike the right balance between immigration control and refugee protection?
  • The third objective of the Action Plan is "enhanced prevention of smuggling and assistance to vulnerable migrants". Does it suggest the correct measures to achieve this objective?
  • In what ways should the approach taken to tackle migrant smuggling differ from that aiming to prevent human trafficking?

The Committee will then ask academics:

  • What are the root causes of irregular migration to the EU?
  • Do you agree with the Government that the majority of irregular migrants reaching the EU are economic migrants rather than refugees?
  • Are the measures suggested in the Action Plan likely to deter smugglers?
  • Is there potential for enhanced cooperation throughout the EU in the gathering and analysing of data on migrant smuggling?
  • Does migrant smuggling practice differ across the EU regarding the variety of actors involved; source and destination countries and routes and methods of transport used? In light of these many facets, is it feasible to reach a common approach against migrant smuggling at EU level?

Further information

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