Fighting migrant smuggling

In order to reinforce the transnational response to smuggling of migrants, the European Commission put forward a renewed EU action plan against migrant smuggling for 2021-2025, in September 2021. The action plan aims at strengthening cooperation with partner countries along the migratory routes by setting up anti-smuggling operational partnerships, focusing on stronger police and judicial cooperation, effective border management, better sharing of information, protecting the rights of migrants and offering alternative livelihood opportunities to communities. For example, under the action plan, the Network of Common Operational Partnerships and Joint Investigation Teams in West and Central Africa (NETCOP) project brings together the different initiatives in the region to support the exchange and analysis of operational information between the teams. Support is also given to law enforcement to improve their capability to detect, investigate and prosecute criminals engaging in migrant smuggling, with particular attention given to the transnational nature of the crime and therefore to the need to adopt a cooperative international response, including with EU Member States. The renewed action plan also aims at improving the implementation inside the EU of the EU legal framework on sanctioning smugglers and preventing exploitation of migrants, while ensuring their protection, and by responding to new challenges, such as the instrumentalisation of migrants for political purposes.



On 1 April 2022, the Commission launched a new call for proposals under the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) for information and awareness raising campaigns on the risks of irregular migration in third countries and within Europe. The total budget for this call is EUR 8 000 000 and is expected to support between 5 to 15 actions in the coming years.