Banking on mobility over a generation: follow-up to the regional study on the management of the external borders of the European Union and its impact on the human rights of migrants 2015, para. 64
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A vital first step is for the European Union to scale up search and rescue operations at sea to at least the level of Operation Mare Nostrum. While some efforts have been made, it is vital that the European Union expand the resources committed to providing assistance to those in distress at sea. The Special Rapporteur urges the European Union to strengthen its search and rescue capacity, while also doing the following: respecting the principle of non-refoulement; allowing irregular migrants to disembark immediately at the nearest port; providing information, care and support to migrants; processing asylum claims equitably; and supporting commercial vessels in exceptional circumstances to carry out rescue operations without risk of retaliation or harassment for being considered accessories to smuggling operations. The priorities should be clear: fighting smuggling operations is less important than saving lives. The argument according to which one should not increase search and rescue capacity in order to avoid encouraging smuggling operations is morally, politically and legally unacceptable when human lives are at stake.
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Non-negotiated soft law
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Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants