Barroso's Europe

As expected, illegal immigration dominated European Commission's President José Manuel Barroso's agenda during his short visit here.

Mr Barroso acknowledged that the problem of illegal immigration had stretched the island's resources well beyond their limit and pledged his help by calling on all other EU member states to help Malta. Only time will tell whether Mr Barroso's promise will be translated into action or whether we shall have to keep going it alone.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, whose government is taking a tough yet humane approach with regard to illegal immigration, made it clear that Malta cannot continue policing the Mediterranean and, with a search and rescue area the size of Great Britain, this is getting simply impossible.

The government's proposal that immigrants picked up by boats outside member states' search-and-rescue zones be shared among all other member states is fair and practical. Burden-sharing is the solution for this massive problem; it would allow vessels to pick up immigrants at sea without provoking diplomatic disputes that have become the order of the day.

Unfortunately, Mr Barroso was not clear at all when The Times journalist asked whether he deemed it hypocritical that some of the EU states, while accusing Malta for not doing enough to rescue people in distress, were not willing to contribute to the EU's border agency Frontex. One would have expected Mr Barroso to have a clear answer about what is probably the most important issue when dealing with illegal immigration.

Mr Barroso has a difficult task ahead if he truly intends persuading the other 26 member states to help Malta. Many states just don't want to engage. A few days ago EU home affairs ministers meeting in Luxembourg opposed proposals to divide arriving illegal immigrants among the 27 member states. Germany, for instance, which already has to deal with immigrants arriving from its eastern borders, is reluctant to help in Malta's burden-sharing proposal even if it is one of the four member states (Italy not included) that have agreed to join the Mediterranean patrol operation.

The French Minister for Immigration and National Identity, Brice Hortefeux, is reported to have rejected Malta's proposal that larger member states should take a bigger share of illegal migrants.

Friso Roscam Abbing, the spokesman for EU Commissioner Franco Frattini, rubbished the burden-sharing proposal saying it would only serve as a magnet for more illegal migrants to attempt to enter Europe illegally.

The EU's proposal for a common migration policy, which would eliminate the absurdity of having 27 different migration policies, is opposed by some of the member states including the UK.

Another daunting task for Mr Barroso is to convince Libya, from whose shores the majority of these illegal immigrants are leaving, to shoulder its responsibility. So far Libya continues to refuse to play ball.

Solidarity happens to be one of the core values of the EU. Solidarity has so far been lacking. More than 6,000 illegal immigrants reached Malta since 2002. It is estimated that about 600 people are dying each summer trying to cross over to Europe and that, I believe, is a conservative figure.

In front of this human tragedy, EU member states need to pull their socks up and act fast. Europe is going through one of the strongest illegal immigration waves in its history. Unilateral action, as the Maltese Opposition Leader warned Mr Barroso that Malta would take unless it received effective EU assistance, is not the solution to the problem of illegal immigration; it would only make things more complicated. A common, coherent approach by all member states is needed.

It's high time for Mr Barroso's Europe to act.