The EU’s 15 year self-declared war against migrant smugglers is a deadly joke

The EU declared war against the business model of migrant smugglers 15 years ago. Over 10 years later, the European Commission conceded profits have never been so high. On Tuesday (15 September), the commission declared, once again at the European Parliament, that everything must be done to stop smugglers. “Smugglers and illegal migrants must understand that our Union will step up defending itself, and most of all, our citizens must be reassured that things are under control,” said Magnus Brunner, the EU’s migration commissioner. If smuggling was an IPO entering the stock market, statements like these would see its dividends soar. The EU’s fight against smugglers is often followed by crocodile tears at saving lives. Record profits aside, the central Mediterranean has turned into a maritime graveyard. “This remains the deadliest migration route to Europe based on existing evidence,” said the UN’s Organisation for Migration (IOM), in a report in April. Greek authorities said survivors of the 14 June shipwreck in 2023 paid $4,500 [€4,134] each for a journey that started in Egypt, picked up passengers in Libya, and then headed towards Italy. Profiteers of death But there is also another question at hand. What has the EU done over the past 15 years in its self-declared war whereby smugglers are now raking in more cash than ever with people still dying?