Malta offers to host illegal migration summit

Malta yesterday informed the EU it is ready to host a top level meeting between ministers of the interior and foreign affairs of southern European and Northern Africa countries to discuss a mechanism to deal with illegal migration.

This was revealed yesterday during a meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels.

The proposal was first discussed last week during talks in Tripoli between Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg and various Libyan ministers including the Libyan Home Affairs Minister. Libya has long been wanting to hold this meeting and, according to the Libyan news agency al-Jamahirija, the Libyan government will shortly be issuing invitations.

Speaking to The Times after the meeting, Dr Borg said he informed EU ministers about the recent talks in Libya. He said Malta is supporting the Libyan initiative to organise this meeting and Malta even offered the Libyan authorities to host the meeting itself.

The EU is trying to initiate cooperation with Libya in the sphere of illegal migration and technical talks have already started to put in place a joint action plan.

At yesterday's meeting, EU ministers agreed with the direction the Commission is taking in the fight against illegal migration, including the creation of an emergency fund providing immediate assistance to countries like Malta facing sudden influxes of illegal immigrants.

Dr Borg stressed the need for such a fund to be set up without further delay, possibly before the start of summer.

EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini last week proposed a three-pronged approach to combat illegal migration. The proposals include the drafting of an EU-wide single asylum procedure, achieving the joint compilation, assessment and application of the country of origin, information and a mechanism enabling member states to work together to address particular pressures on asylum systems or reception capacities resulting from their geographical location.