The Italian and Maltese Home Affairs Ministers today agreed to set up a 'project', involving EU Mediterranean states to tackle matters related to illegal immigration at the EU level in a coordinated manner.

“This group of states will be able to adopt a common approach and thus gain more relevance in the European sphere because of the homogeneous problems and realities they face with illegal immigration,” the Ministry of Home Afairs said,

The agreement was reached during talks which Italian Home Affairs Minister Roberto Maroni held in Valletta with his Maltese counterpart Carm Mifsud Bonnici.

The two ministers also agreed to set up a “Forum for permanent consultation” to enable the two countries to coordinate their efforts in tackling illegal immigration, even at European Union level. The forum will also see both countries cooperating on matters such as search and rescue and the repatriation of illegal immigrants.

The ministry quoted Sig Maroni saying that the progress on illegal immigration made under the French Presidency needed to be sustained. Malta and Italy needed to take the leadership in this matter in a more effective and coordinated manner.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said Malta and Italy should work together to keep illegal immigration on the EU’s agenda, even after the current French Presidency ended at the end of the year.

Both ministers agreed on the need to better define the Frontex mission and boost its resources.