In accordance with the decision of the Foreign Affairs Council on 20 June 2016, the Political and Security Committee on 30 August authorised EUNAVFOR MED Operation Sophia to begin its two additional supporting tasks: trainining the Libyan coastguard and navy and contributing to the fight against illegal arms smuggling and trafficking on the high seas off the coast of Libya.
Although, the core mandate and primary focus of the naval operation - launched in June 2015 -, remain to disrupt the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks on the Central Mediterranean Sea, both supporting tasks are of particular importance for tackling the challenges of migration.
