Malta involved in three joint flight projects

A number of illegal immigrants in Malta whose asylum applications have already been turned down will soon be flown back to their countries through joint EU flights financed by the European Commission.

Three projects involving Malta have just been selected by the European Commission to qualify for EU funds under the Financial Instrument for Return Management in the area of migration.

A Commission spokesman told The Times 20 projects were selected by the Commission. They will be getting €14.8 million.

He explained that Malta is a co-partner in projects for joint return flights presented by the Federal German police, a Dutch immigration agency known as Immigratie-en Naturalisatiedienst and the Italian Ministry of Justice.

These projects qualify for a total of €3.2 million and finance joint return flights with various member states, including Malta, training activities in the sphere of immigration and exchanges of good practice in relation to return management.

Asked whether Malta had submitted any project on its own, the Commission spokesman said that out of the 33 projects submitted, Malta, through its police force, proposed one project. Unfortunately, this project was not selected as the grant requested by Malta was considered to be too low and the project had already been carried out. It was therefore ineligible according to the rules governing the call.

The return management programme aims to provide support to organisations in member states in their efforts to improve the management of return operations in all their dimensions, taking into account community legislation and readmission agreements. Franco Frattini, the European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, said the result of the 2005 call for proposals is an enormous success given that it is a new initiative.

"It proves the importance of community support which has become essential in the light of continuous migration pressure on the member states. Common action by the European Union to support member states' efforts in this sphere is an important component in the fight against illegal immigration, and an essential complement to a credible migration and asylum policy."

The financial resources available for this year amount to €15 million and the second call for proposals will be launched in summer. As from next year the Commission will be launching a new programme called the European Return Fund, aimed at helping member states repatriate illegal immigrants.