EU commission sees Tunisia's migration deal as 'blueprint' for region

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Sunday that she wants the EU’s recent economic and migration agreement with Tunisia to be a “blueprint” for European partnerships in the wider North African region.

Tunisia is a major departing point for migrants, with more than 75,065 small boats reaching Italy by July 14 so far this year, compared to 31,920 in the same period last year, official data showed. More than half of the arrivals this year were from Tunisia, which has overtaken Libya as the main launch pad for migrant crossings.

On July 16, the EU and Tunisia signed an agreement that included the bloc spending 100 million euros ($111 million) to combat human trafficking and tighten borders in the North African country. The agreement also covers economic stability, trade and investment and the green energy transition. 

“We want our agreement with Tunisia to be a template, to be a blueprint for the future, for partnerships with other countries in the region. We want to take a pragmatic approach based on shared values and interests,” von der Leyen said at the International Conference on Development and Migration, which took place in the Italian capital of Rome on Sunday.