The time has also come to start the 2 phase of the European Union (EU) military operation in the central-southern Mediterranean, called EUNAVFOR MED, which began in June 2015, called Sophia, name of a Somalian girl born on a warship flying the Italian flag who was on a rescue mission near the coasts of Libya, consisting in carrying out operations of law enforcement through military instruments.
But what is the purpose of this second phase? It is to counter the criminal networks that connect to the smuggling and exploitation of migrants for the Mediterranean sea and to deflate the migratory flow by sea, in accordance with the international law that is implemented.
The COPS - the political and security committee - has the task of controlling the mission on a political level, while the EUOHQ - id est the operation of the EU headquarters - has the operational one at the IOC - Interforce Operations Command - based in Rome.
We moved on to the 2 phase, after the EU Council gave a favorable opinion on the 1 phase which concerned the collection and analysis of intelligence and information. The second phase, therefore, establishes the possibility of launching inspections, seizures, arrests and diversions to international waters of boats that are suspected of being used for trafficking in persons or trafficking of migrants. An air-naval device was also launched in the territorial sea of Libya, thanks to the adoption of the resolution of the United Nations Security Council, No. 2240 / 2015 / S, which authorizes the inspection and seizure of boats that could be destroyed , suspected of being used for illegal trafficking of migrants or trafficking in human beings off the Libyan coast, as often stated above.
The transition from the first phase to the second is presented by the Operational Command, after having examined the situation in the sea areas. This passage, it should be emphasized, has taken place thanks to information that has tangibly demonstrated the illicit activity of the smugglers in trafficking and trafficking in persons. There are about twenty states participating in the operation, including our country, both financially and through the provision of assets and military personnel. This operation consists of the presence of seven warships and six helicopters and planes; in addition, the Italian flag aircraft carrier "Cavour" is present, considered the mission command ship flanked by a German frigate and supplier, an English support vessel and the frigates of Belgium, France and Spain. Our country, absolutely must be reminded of public opinion, was authorized to participate in the naval mission with the 8 July 2015 Law Decree, n. 99 inherent to the urgent provisions for the participation of military personnel in the European Union military operation in the south-central Mediterranean called EUNAVFOR MED, (15G00119) (Official Gazette n.156 of the 8-7-2015), provision entered into force 8 July 2015. This Decree-Law was converted by the L.4 August 2015, n.117 (in the Official Journal of the 06 / 08 / 2015, n.181).
The current operations in the Mediterranean sea are well known as, for example, Safe Sea, TRITON and EUNAVFOR MED, which interact through the exchange of information and personnel, in order to maintain the activities of warships engaged in different missions in the context of their respective tasks. This could be certain for Safe Sea and the EUNAVFOR MED, which could appear similar in the operational phases also in the 2 phase. It should be remembered that Safe Sea it is an operation entirely of the Italian State, which has the objective of protecting national interests, with respect to EUNAVFOR MED which was wanted by the EU, which limited its mandate. This does not hinder the units that are part of all three mechanisms for implementing SAR (Search and Rescue) which indicates a set of rescue operations conducted by men trained for this purpose and the use of specific naval, air or land vehicles aimed at safeguarding human life in particular situations of danger and hostile environments such as mountain, gorge or sea . It should be completed by 12 months starting from full operational capacity (Full Operational Capability, Foc) achieved the 27 July; however, this does not exclude its extension, as also happened for other naval missions, such as, for example, with Atalanta or EU NAVFOR Somalia which is an EU diplomatic-military mission to prevent and suppress acts of maritime piracy along the coasts of State of the Horn of Africa in support of the resolutions n.1814, 1816, 1838 and 1846 adopted in the 2008 by the United Nations Security Council.
