EU to offer Malta air and sea patrols

In the coming two weeks, the EU will dispatch naval vessels and reconnaissance planes to the Mediterranean to assist Malta and other EU member states to shore up against the influx of illegal immigrants.

Details will be discussed next week during a meeting in Brussels between Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg and the EU's Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini.

The plan was announced yesterday by Mr Frattini during a press conference in Brussels following discussions with Spain's Home Affairs Minister on the illegal immigration problem being faced by the Canary Islands.

Speaking to The Times, Mr Frattini said that in two weeks' time, the EU will be in a position through its Border Agency, Frontex, to offer patrols in the Mediterranean.

Eight EU member states have agreed to take part in the mission. Frontex has already informed Dr Borg in writing on this development.

Mr Frattini said the EU will also be offering further assistance to countries that will be facing a massive influx of immigrants in summer. This will include emergency funds, a point which Malta has been insisting on for the past months, and the possibility for Frontex to send rapid reaction teams to hot spots to assist local authorities to deal with emergency situations.

The EU has already made available funds for the organisation of joint EU flights to repatriate illegal migrants. Malta is one of 14 countries that will take part in these flights.

Mr Frattini said that in the coming weeks he will also be proposing an amendment to the European Fund for External Borders so that it will become possible for the EU to co-finance the installation of technical surveillance systems to better control EU borders.