EU to Press Libya for Tougher Action Amid Surge in Mediterranean Migrant Crossings

The European Union will adopt a “firm” stance with Libyan authorities following a sharp rise in illegal migration across the Mediterranean, EU Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner said on Tuesday.

Brunner announced that he will travel to Libya next week, accompanied by government officials from Greece, Italy, and Malta, to push for stricter measures to prevent migrant boats from departing Libyan shores.

“This is an issue that deeply concerns us right now. Libya is at the top of our agenda, and we’re heading there together next week because we need to act swiftly and firmly,” Brunner said during a conference in Athens.

The delegation is expected to meet with both the UN-backed government in western Libya and a rival administration in the east. Brunner also held talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ahead of the trip.

In response to the recent uptick in crossings from Libya to the southern Greek island of Crete—a far more dangerous route than the more commonly used path from Turkiye to the Greek islands—Greece has announced plans to deploy warships to international waters in the area.

The move comes amid renewed concerns over migrant safety. In 2023, hundreds of people died when the overcrowded fishing trawler Adriana, en route from Libya to Italy, capsized off the Greek coast.