European Asylum Support Office (EASO) signs seat agreement with Malta

The Seat Agreement between the Government of Malta and the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) was signed today in Brussels. The Agreement governs the relationship between the Government of Malta and the EASO.

24 May 2011, 12:00am
by Karl Stagno-Navarra

1 min read

The aim of the EASO is to strengthen practical cooperation among Member States on asylum and to improve the implementation of the Common European Asylum System. Its purpose is to facilitate, coordinate and strengthen practical cooperation among Member States on the many aspects of asylum; provide operational support to Member States which are subject to strong pressure on their asylum systems, including the coordination of asylum support teams made up of asylum experts; and to provide scientific and technical assistance for Community policy-making and legislation in all areas having a direct or indirect impact on asylum.

The Agreement was signed by Ambassador Richard Cachia Caruana, Malta’s Permanent Representative to the European Union, and Dr Robert K. Visser, EASO Executive Director. Ms Marta Cygan, Director Asylum and Immigration, European Commission, was also present for the signing of the Agreement

Ambassador Cachia Caruana thanked all those involved in the negotiations of the Seat Agreement and stated that the signing of the this Agreement today marks a major milestone in the setting up of the European Asylum Support Office since it essentially provides the basis for every aspect of the operations of the Agency in Malta. The detailed negotiations that led up to the Agreement’s signature, he added, had covered all relevant issues to ensure that EASO would be able to function as effectively and efficiently as possible and in full collaboration with the Maltese Government.

The European Asylum Support Office will be formally inaugurated on 19 June 2011 at a ceremony at the Auberge de Castille presided over by the Prime Minister. Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmström, and Justice and Home Affairs Minister, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, will also participate in the inauguration ceremony.

More from Karl Stagno-Navarra

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We do not need any asylum office in Malta which will see us having to keep illegal immigrants in Malta until their applications are processed. What we need is speedy repatriation and organized flights for all illegal immigrants out of Malta back to their own countries.

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@ Zwieg bla Divorzju: Obviously no one enters marriage thinking of having to split up one day. Heck even dating teenagers cry bitter tears when they split up with a boyfriend, let alone those who marry! I'd however appreciate if someone answers my question: A Roman Catholic (not protestant) couple marries and set up family in the U.K. In their country OUR SAME ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH (in caps to be visible to religious followers) demands that they obtain a divorce BEFORE they start annullment procedures. Why do our Bishops preach different things than that preached by other Roman Catholic preachers? Why is something OK for a Roman Catholic in the UK yet is a sin for the same Roman Catholic in Malta? I emphasise I'm speaking about our same Roman Catholic Church here. And... let's envisage a Roman Catholic couple who got married using the Roman Catholic rites in Britain. Then they choose to come and settle in Malta. Who the f....k are we to tell them, years later, that to get a divorce they have to be shooed back to the country where they got married? Wouldn't that be discrimination? I.e. a british couple who live in the UK can get their divorce, but another british couple who chose to live in Malta no, we force them to go back to their own country to get a divorce?? That'd be just... very silly.