France aims at practical solution to illegal immigration

France will propose concrete and practical solutions on how the EU should confront illegal immigration, according to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country yesterday took over the EU Presidency from Slovenia.

Speaking to The Times during a briefing for the Brussels press corps at the Elysée Palace, Mr Sarkozy admitted that the Irish "impasse" with regard to the Lisbon Treaty has distracted the French Presidency's agenda. However, he said that migration will still remain on top of the French agenda for the EU.

"We need to have a common migration policy so that the people of Europe are more secure. Schengen is a good thing but, at the same time, we need to guard our external borders on a common basis.

France wants EU leaders to agree to a European Pact On Immigration And Asylum and its stance on migration is two pronged. It is in favour of letting legal migrants into Europe, in an orderly and managed system, and, at the same time, will combat illegal immigration insisting that illegal entrants to the bloc's territory should be removed.

In order to achieve this, France wants to reinforce Frontex, the EU border agency.

Senior French government officials told The Times that in the coming six months, France will continue work to enable Frontex to fully carry out its tasks and to become a more effective instrument of the Union's solidarity in supporting member states to tackle crises.

"On the basis of studies carried out within the agency's management board, France will take into account the specific features of particular EU land and sea borders and will examine how to step up its operational role," the officials said.

One of France's ideas is to have anti-migration patrols on a permanent basis and not just for short periods as is the case today.

At the same time, France will be adopting a "zero tolerance" approach to illegal migration.

According to the French government officials, Paris will seek an agreement at first reading on the proposal for an EU directive laying down sanctions against employers of non-EU nationals having an irregular migration status. "Such a measure represents a vital complement to a more effective removal policy, stepping up the fight against the demand for illegal workers, which acts as an incentive to those considering illegal immigration."

The Irish rejection of the Lisbon Reform Treaty will, however, be the top priority for President Sarkozy.

"We will not force anyone to accept the treaty as it is but we will try to help Ireland find a solution," Mr Sarkozy said.

According to the Elysée Palace, the French President will be travelling to Ireland later on this month in order to try to seek a solution on the way forward together with the Irish government. The French are expecting the Irish Prime Minister to have a clear solution by next October's mid-Presidency summit in Brussels.

The Mediterranean will also be given a boost with the official launch of the Union for the Mediterranean - an organisation intended to give a new impetus to EU-Mediterranean countries, a brainchild of Mr Sarkozy himself.

The launch summit, to be held on July 13 in Paris, will bring together 44 leaders from the EU and Mediterranean countries. Malta has shown interest in hosting the new secretariat of the new Union.

However, both Tunisia and Morocco are also interested. Elysée Palace sources told The Times that the seat of the secretariat would probably not be decided at the launching summit.