The report, compiled under IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, indicates Europe is the world’s most dangerous destination for “irregular” migration, costing the lives of over 3,000 migrants this year.

Today, Italy declared a state of emergency over the “sharp rise” in the number of migrants arriving on the country’s shores through the dangerous Mediterranean route. It’s the first time Italy has resorted to such a drastic measure since 2011.

Six years after the promotion of a “new approach to a new neighbourhood” following the 2011 uprisings, what is the state of play of EU’s cooperation with the MENA region in the field of migration and asylum? This session will allow to reflect on the EU's external cooperation in the field of migration and asylum with South and East Mediterranean countries.

The European Agenda aims to give concrete answers following the recent tragedies in the Mediterranean and, more generally, to manage migration better in all aspects.

A 10 point action plan of the immediate actions has been presented by Commissioner Avramopoulos and received the full backing of Foreign and Interior Ministers.

The Joint Operational Team (JOT) Mare, a new initiative aiming to tackle the organised criminal groups who are facilitating the journeys of migrants by ships across the Mediterranean Sea to the European Union, has been launched today.

During the meeting of the Home Affairs Council, Ministers discussed migratory pressures, and in particular the situation in the central Mediterranean, as well as increasing trends in asylum applications from Western Balkans countries and in particular Kosovo.

The European Migration Forum – the dialogue platform on migration, asylum and migrant integration – has met for the first time on 26 and 27 January 2015.

William Lacy Swing, Director General IOM, stresses that already in 2014 over 2,200 migrants have died attempting to reach Europe via the Mediterranean Sea. That’s three times 2013’s total!

What drives so many migrants to risk their lives to cross the Mediterranean sea? How does Europe react? These questions will be addressed with representatives from CIRé, CNCD and Boats4People during a debate following the play on 25 September 2012.