EU Prepares Measures Against Companies Involved in Illegal Migrant Transport

It introduces a special procedure allowing sanctions against sea, land and air carriers.

Following events on the border between Belarus and the EU, the European Commission wants the power to impose sanctions on carriers that facilitate the illegal transport of migrants into EU territory.

EU commissioners approved a draft of the relevant EU regulation at their meeting in Strasbourg on Tuesday, November 23. For final adoption, the regulation must be approved by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.

Ursula von der Leyen
President of the European Commission

Attempts to destabilize the EU by instrumentalizing people will not succeed. The EU is united and is taking various measures to resolve the situation on the EU's external border with Belarus.

What sanctions the European Commission will be able to impose on carriers

“Recent events on the border of the EU and Belarus could not have happened without certain carriers knowingly or unknowingly contributing to the exploitation of people,” the European Commission's press service notes.

The draft regulation provides for the possibility of imposing restrictions on operators of all modes of transport — land, air, river and sea — that facilitate the illegal transport of migrants into the EU.

This refers to a range of possible measures. In particular, it could mean restricting transport operations on the EU market, suspending the right to fly over EU territory or provide transport services within the bloc.

It also means depriving carriers of the right to refuel or undergo maintenance in the EU, call at EU ports or transit through its territory.

If the regulation is adopted, the European Commission will be able to impose these restrictions for up to one year. This rule is unusual, because sanctions are usually imposed by the Council of the EU unanimously.

Recall that on November 15 the Council of the European Union expanded the sanctions regime against Belarus. As a result, the EU will be able to impose restrictions on Belarusian carriers of migrants.

However, these sanctions cannot be applied to transport companies, for example airlines from other countries, which is why the European Commission has prepared this draft regulation.