EU’s inaction in the face of Türkiye’s political hegemony over Libya

Priority question for written answer P-003025/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Emmanouil Fragkos (ECR)

Launched in 2020, Operation IRINI (Greek for 'peace') is supposed to be the EU's core tool for implementing the UN arms embargo on Libya. Despite a number of extensions, prolonging the mission to 2027, and a 'broadening of its remit' to include monitoring of critical infrastructure and illegal activities, its effectiveness remains disputed. Türkiye, a major disruptor of the legal order in the region, is openly violating the arms embargo on Libya, without consequences. The mission has resulted in just three seizures of cargo in five years, with tens of thousands of vessels contacted by radio and few ships actually inspected. The lack of binding enforcement measures weakens any deterrent effect. It seems, therefore, that Operation IRINI is more of a symbolic gesture than an effective mechanism for enforcing international law in the Mediterranean.

The recent 'Goodwill Agreement' between Türkiye and Libya increases bilateral trade and strengthens cooperation in the fields of energy, mining and infrastructure. What is more, the 'controlled' illegal migration flows to Greece and Italy demonstrate that Libya has been implementing 'Turkish know-how' in hope of securing an economic package equivalent to the 2016 agreement between the EU and Türkiye.

Given that Greece is receiving irregular immigrants from Libya and that both Western and Eastern Libyan administrations are cooperating closely with Türkiye in the face of international law and Greek sovereign rights and sovereignty, what action does the Commission intend to take in order to address Türkiye's anti-Greek 'campaign' in Libya?

Submitted: 21.7.2025