EU on plan to ease France-Italy tension over migrants

European Union interior ministers on Friday weighed proposals to ease tensions between France and Italy over migrants arriving on their shores without authorisation, including a possible crackdown on charity-run ships doing search and rescue work in the Mediterranean Sea.

The EU's executive branch, the European Commission, has tabled an action plan.Part of that plan involves the idea of imposing tighter rules on ships doing search and rescue work.Neither the EU nor any of its member countries actively search for migrants at sea unless they receive an emergency call.

Greece has also tried to discourage humanitarian organizations from helping people trying to enter Europe without authorization.Other EU countries oppose new rules that would make it impossible for NGO ships to save lives.