Six EU members in 'Operation Malta'

The EU's promised help to Malta in the fight against illegal immigration this summer will take concrete form with the commencement, in a few weeks time, of joint sea and air patrols around and over Malta.

The EU will also be providing Malta with direct technical assistance in case of sudden influxes of illegal immigrants.

Sources close to the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation At The External Borders, known as Frontex, yesterday confirmed to The Times that six EU member states have already accepted the agency's invitation to take part in "Operation Malta".

The member states, which will be conducting joint patrols coordinated by Frontex, are the UK, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Hungary and Latvia. Other countries could join in as the EU agency's invitation is still open.

Details of "Operation Malta" have already been discussed during a visit to Malta by three top officials of Frontex earlier this month. Another coordination meeting to finalise the operation will be held this week.

The sources said that following a meeting with EU Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini, Frontex has been asked by Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg to assist Malta in dealing with the large flows of illegal migration targeting the island. Frontex accepted to intervene and has provisionally budgeted €2.1 million for the activities to be conducted this summer in Malta and in Spain's Canary Islands, which is currently also being affected by an acute immigration problem.

The sources explained that the operational assistance for Malta will be divided in two parts: a sea borne operation and technical assistance provided on the ground.

"While the sea part will enable Malta to benefit from technical and personnel resources of other member states in a joint surveillance operation, the assistance provided on the island itself will concentrate on sharing best practices and know-how existing in other member states in order to help Malta deal with the influx of migrants."

"The areas covered will be centred on the identification and return of illegal migrants. Besides, Frontex foresees to provide risk analyses together with Europol. European and Maltese police, under the direction of Frontex, will also work jointly to contribute to investigations on traffickers bringing in illegal migrants."

Malta has been pressuring the EU during many Council meetings in Brussels to be given direct help to deal with an almost crises situation.

Commissioner Frattini told The Times last month the Commission was working on a number of projects to help Malta during the upcoming "immigration season". He had said that apart from the patrols and technical assistance the Commission has also budgeted €2.7 million in emergency funds to be used in case the need arises.