Publication

This brief updates us on Operation Sophia, or EUNAVFOR Med, which is the European Union's naval operation against people smuggling in the Mediterranean, primarily from Libya. The brief's author specifically highlights 1) why Brussels opted for this military response to the migrant crisis; 2) the operation’s mandate and core objectives; 3) its different phases, which will involve information gathering on traffickers, search and seizure activities on the high seas, and finally, similar activities in Libyan waters; 4) how Operation Sophia is the first campaign to bring together the internal and external security agendas of the EU; 5) how the operation constitutes a shift in the EU’s security and defense posture; 6) the legal basis for what’s being done; and 7) the risks and challenges facing the operation.