NEWS | Wednesday, 21 January 2009

PRINT THIS ARTICLE

The Ministers of the Interior of Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Malta have embarked on a common initiative with a view to raise awareness and recommend action to the challenges posed by irregular migration and asylum.
The so called Quadro said their initiative is open to other member states. They signed a document which they hope will stimulate action at European level to assist the four Mediterranean countries on challenges posed by irregular migration.
The proposals include a call for the continuation of Frontex patrols and new offices in the Mediterranean, as well as more readmission agreements with countries of origin in Africa.
“The influx of illegal immigrants is clearly a cause for concern, as it results in considerable strain on these countries’ admission resources and asylum systems. It is therefore deemed necessary to take urgent action with a view to put into practice the Union’s principle of solidarity and fair burden sharing,” the interior ministers of the Quadro group said in their document.
“Such action is not only required with a view to ease the pressure on the countries concerned, but also to put an end to the loss of life at sea that is a direct consequence of the smuggling networks facilitating illegal migration across the Mediterranean sea.”
The ministers said their plan would send “the necessary signal that illegal entry into Europe, which among others, jeopardizes the credibility of policies on legal immigration…”
They added that the Mediterranean was increasingly becoming a transit area for the influxes of people in need of international protection coming from crisis regions such as the Horn of Africa, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Iraq and the Palestinian Territories.
But they also added that the Mediterranean was also a transit area for drug and other illicit trafficking from Africa and the East. “It is furthermore acknowledged that it is highly likely that illicit proceeds from these activities might also finance terrorism.”

WHAT THE COUNTRIES WANT

• More readmission agreements with key countries of origin and transit in Africa, Near and Middle East “and elsewhere” to deliver a message “against the viability of illegal immigration” and allow Member States to implement returns.
• Establish a European “Laissez Passer” passport to facilitate readmission to third countries.
• More diplomatic cooperation with countries of origin to facilitate readmission procedures.
• Cracking down on organized crime and smuggling and trafficking of human beings through police cooperation.
• Strengthening of Frontex and Joint Operations, and providing Frontex with necessary financial and operational resources. Setting up of specialised offices.
• Establishment of the European Asylum Support Office.
• Amending the Dublin II Regulation to take into consideration that the system of responsibility allocation provided by the existing Regulation, results in added burden on frontline Member States.
• Urging other Member States to consider reallocating beneficiaries of international protection from Member States facing disproportionate pressures due to their geographical or demographic circumstances.
• Cooperation with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and UNHCR should be strengthened with the establishment of new regional offices in sensitive areas of the southern and south-eastern Mediterranean.
• Increase anti-drug activities and the hindrance to drug routes through the central and east Mediterranean. Creating a Centre for Coordination of anti-drug and other anti-organised crime activities in this area.

PRINT THIS ARTICLE

Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below.
Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.