In June 2019, the Council of Europe released its Recommendation regarding the “protection of refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants travelling by sea,” titled “Lives Saved. Rights Protected. Bridging the Protection Gap for Refugees and Migrants in the Mediterranean.” The Recommendation sets forth that “states have clear obligations to aid any person found in distress at sea, to rescue people in distress and to ensure that their rights—including the right to life and to protection from refoulement—are upheld.” The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights put forward this Recommendation regarding “how to help member states make these rights practical and effective.” The Recommendation noted that Council of Europe members have “adopted tougher and more restrictive laws and measures to handle the attempted crossing of refugees and migrants via the Central Mediterranean route” and that the Recommendation “aims at identifying the deficiencies of this approach, and at helping member states to reframe their response according to human rights standards.” The Recommendation focuses on five main areas of action: “ensuring effective search and rescue coordination; guaranteeing the safe and timely disembarkation of rescued people; co-operating effectively with NGOs; preventing human rights violations while co-operating with third countries; and providing accessible safe and legal routes to Europe.”