Foreign Affairs Council, 18/05/2015, 18 May 2015

Main results

Migration

Not one single action will be effective alone. All different parts of our action are relevant: saving lives at sea, working on the root causes with our partners and dismantling criminal networks that are smuggling people. High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini

The Council established an EU naval operation to disrupt the business model of human smugglers in the Mediterranean, EUNAVFOR Med. This decision is one element of the comprehensive EU response to the migration challenge

EUNAVFOR Med will be conducted in sequential phases and in accordance with the requirements of international law. Planning of the operation and the initial phase of surveillance and assessment of human smuggling and trafficking networks in the Southern Central Mediterranean will be conducted as soon as possible. The second and third phases of the operation would work to search, seize and disrupt the assets of smugglers, based on international law and in partnership with Libyan authorities.

Burundi

The Council condemned the attempted coup d'état in Burundi and called on Burundian actors to solve their differences by peaceful means. It also urged restraint from actions that could further increase tension in the country.