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Further support to Italian authorities in migration hotspots

The Agency took part in European Regional Task Force meetings in Catania from 9 to 10 April which were fully dedicated to discussing protecting fundamental rights as part of the work of those involved in managing migratory flows.

The meetings particularly focused on vulnerable people and unaccompanied children. The meetings, initiated by FRA jointly with the European Commission’s Migration Support Team in Italy, addressed the identification, transmission of information and referral of vulnerable people. FRA shared its first-hand knowledge gained during observations of disembarcations and meetings with key players involved in search and rescue operations.

The 9 April core Task Force group meeting was attended by the European Commission, Frontex, EASO, Europol, the Italian Ministry of Interior Department of Public Security, Guardia di Finanza, Italian Coastguard, and the Italian Navy. The 10 April meeting was expanded to local actors such as the local ‘Questura’ police, UNHCR, IOM and Save the Children in order to map the state-of-play of vulnerability handling and referral of arriving migrants in eastern Sicily.