EU to step up fight against illegal migration

Malta's lobbying for EU assistance in its fight against illegal immigration received a boost yesterday as the European Commission unveiled unprecedented proposals aimed at combating this phenomenon affecting mostly southern European member states.

Announcing the Commission's proposals on a five-year roadmap in the areas of freedom, justice and security, Commissioner Franco Frattini said the Commission was proposing a drastic increase in the next EU budget to be spent on immigration control.Under the next Community budget, the EU will allocate over €5 billion to assist member states prevent and fight illegal immigration and, in parallel, to govern legal immigration.

Mr Frattini said illegal immigration was not to be left to member states to carry on their own.

According to the Commission's proposals there will also be an ad hoc fund to improve border controls, harmonise European rights and improve border police efficiency.

The Commission's plan will now be discussed and possibly approved by the EU's heads of state and government during their summit in June.

The plan includes proposals for EU action on terrorism, visa policies, privacy and security, the fight against organised crime and criminal justice.

The action plan lists the overall priorities for freedom, justice and security set out in the so-called The Hague Programme, endorsed by the European Council last November. It turns these priorities into concrete actions, including a timetable for their adoption and implementation.

Regarding immigration, the plan specifies that over the next five years, a common immigration policy across the EU will be put in place. Towards this end, the Commission will present a policy plan by the end of this year.

In the area of responsibility and solidarity sharing, the Commission is proposing to support national actions on the basis of a European External Borders Fund, such as upgrading the infrastructure at the 6,000 km territorial border and the 85,000 km of coastline that constitute the external borders of the EU.

The Commission is proposing that on the basis of the European Integration Fund, it will assist in the funding of civic orientation courses and migrant platforms to make newcomers feel at home in European societies.

Other plans include help to individual member states through the European Refugee Fund in providing adequate reception conditions for persons asking for international protection in the EU as well as a fair and efficient consideration of their request for asylum.