Mifsud Bonnici explains Immigration Pact benefits for Malta

Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici is insisting that contrary to popular perception, Malta has achieved a lot through the EU Immigration and Asylum Pact.

In an interview with Rosanne Zammit, he stressed that what would be voluntary in the burden-sharing mechanism would be the member states' choice of migrants to take from Malta. And they would not be taking just migrants granted refugee status, but also those granted humanitarian protection. (See minister's comments on video above)

The pact also covers action for the repatriation of illegal immigrants.

The following are some of the initiatives in the Immigration Pact which are of particular relevance to Malta:

“The European Council calls on Member States to implement an immigration policy that is both managed, particularly with respect to all labour market needs, and concerted, given the impact it may have on other Member States. The European Council stresses the importance of adopting a policy that enables fair treatment of migrants and their harmonious integration into the societies of their host countries.”

“…reaffirms that illegal immigrants on Member States' territory must leave that territory. Each Member State undertakes to ensure that this principle is effectively applied with due regard for the law and for the dignity of the persons involved, giving preference to voluntary return, and each Member State shall recognise the return decisions taken by another Member State;”

“…to conclude readmission agreements at EU or bilateral level with those countries with which this is necessary, so that each Member State has the legal instruments to ensure that illegal immigrants are expelled;”

“…to develop cooperation between Member States, using, on a voluntary basis and where necessary, common arrangements to ensure the expulsion of illegal immigrants (biometric identification of illegal entrants, joint flights, etc.);”

“…to step up cooperation with the countries of origin and of transit, under the Global Approach to Migration, in order to control illegal immigration, in particular to follow with them an ambitious policy on police and judicial cooperation to combat international criminal organisations engaged in trafficking migrants and in human trafficking, and to provide better information to communities under threat so as to avoid the tragedies that can occur, particularly at sea;"

invites “…Member States, specifically with the support of Community instruments, to devise incentive systems to assist voluntary return and to keep each other informed on this point in order to prevent the fraudulent return to the European Union of those who receive such aid;”

invites “…Member States to take rigorous action, also in the interest of the immigrants, by way of dissuasive and proportionate penalties against those who exploit illegal immigrants (employers, etc.);”

“…generalise the issue of biometric visas as from 1 January 2012 at the latest, as a result of the Visa Information System (VIS), immediately improve cooperation between Member States' consulates, pool resources as far as possible and gradually set up, on a voluntary basis, joint consular services for visas.”

“In the light of the results of an evaluation of the (Frontex) agency, its role and operational resources will be strengthened and a decision may be taken to create specialised offices to take account of the diversity of situations, particularly for the land border to the East and the sea border to the South: creating such offices should on no account undermine the unity of the Frontex agency. Ultimately, the possibility of setting up a European system of border guards may be examined.”

“…intensify cooperation with the countries of origin and of transit in order to strengthen control of the external border and to combat illegal immigration by increasing the European Union's aid for the training and equipping of those countries' staff responsible for managing migration flows.”

“…establish in 2009 a European support office with the task of facilitating the exchange of information, analyses and experience among Member States, and developing practical cooperation between the administrations in charge of examining asylum applications. That office will not have the power to examine applications or to take decisions but will use the shared knowledge of countries of origin to help to bring national practices, procedures, and consequently decisions, into line with one another;”

“For those Member States which are faced with specific and disproportionate pressures on their national asylum systems, due in particular to their geographical or demographic situation, solidarity shall also aim to promote, on a voluntary and coordinated basis, better reallocation of beneficiaries of international protection from such Member States to others, while ensuring that asylum systems are not abused. In accordance with those principles, the Commission, in consultation with the UNHCR where appropriate, will facilitate such voluntary and coordinated reallocation. Specific funding under existing EU financial instruments should be provided for this reallocation, in accordance with budgetary procedures.”

“…pursue policies of cooperation with the countries of origin and of transit in order to deter or prevent illegal immigration, in particular by capacity-building in those countries;”

“…integrate migration and development policies more effectively by examining how such policies may benefit the regions of origin of immigration, in coherence with other aspects of development policy and the Millennium Development Goals.”

“…promote co-development actions that enable migrants to take part in the development of their home countries. The European Council recommends that Member States support the adoption of specific financial instruments for transferring migrants' remittances securely and more cheaply to their countries for the purposes of investment and welfare insurance.”