Four MEPs have demanded the European Commission disclose details of EU funding for the Libyan Coast Guard and a planned Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Benghazi, eastern Libya, raising concerns over cooperation with General Khalifa Haftar, whose forces have been implicated in human rights abuses against migrants and refugees.
In a written parliamentary question submitted on 8 April 2026, Erik Marquardt (Verts/ALE), Saskia Bricmont (Verts/ALE), Tineke Strik (Verts/ALE) and Cecilia Strada (S&D) asked the Commission to itemise all funding provided since 2015 to the Libyan Coast Guard, broken down by equipment, training and direct financial support, and to list the specific EU projects and instruments used. They also requested a detailed list of any measures planned in cooperation with General Haftar to establish the MRCC or support the coast guard.
The question cites a Statewatch report from January 2026 indicating the Commission plans to spend at least €3 million on an MRCC in Benghazi, which is under Haftar's control. The MEPs note that Haftar's forces have been accused of mistreatment, exploitation and killing of refugees at sea and on land, and that the Libyan Coast Guard faces international allegations of serious human rights violations and breaches of international law.
By asking for a breakdown of past and future funding, the MEPs seek to establish whether EU money is indirectly supporting entities linked to abuses. The Commission is required to respond within approximately six weeks; its answer will signal the extent of EU engagement with eastern Libyan authorities and the conditions attached to migration cooperation funding.
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