Malta resists EU bid to grant long-term stay rights to refugees

Malta is resisting an EU proposal aimed at giving long-term residence rights to refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection.

The EU French Presidency is set to push for a deal on this during today's meeting of EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers in Brussels but EU Council sources yesterday said that both Malta and Cyprus were still opposing the proposal despite various technical meetings over the past year.

Tabled by the European Commission in 2007, the proposal introduces an amendment to the EU's Long-Term Residence Directive, established in 2003, entitling refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection (humanitarian status) to long-term-residence permits after five years living in an EU member state. According to the proposal, once third-country nationals become long-term residents they would enjoy reinforced protection against expulsion and are guaranteed equal treatment as EU nationals in a wide range of economic and social matters.

They would also have the right to reside in another member state for employment, study or other purposes on conditions set out in the directive.

Malta has been objecting to the proposal since it was adopted by the Commission on the basis that it could not afford to grant permanent residence status to all refugees coming to Malta due to its geographical position and dimension.

It was arguing that, were the proposal to be implemented, Malta would have to grant permits to over 2,300 refugees already on the island and the numbers were set to increase in the coming years.

"Malta is already overpopulated and the EU proposal would put us under immense pressure," government sources said, adding that the proposal would add a disproportionate burden onto the island.

According to figures obtained by The Times, if approved, the largest member states, Germany and France, would have to absorb 12,900 and 10,600 refugees respectively while the absolute majority of member states have much smaller numbers than Malta.

Compared proportionally, Malta's 2,300 refugees would amount to 466,000 in Germany. Although Malta is not expected to lift its objections, EU Council sources said the island had already offered a compromise deal. "Malta is suggesting it will be able to accept this proposal only on two conditions. The first is that the new right would only apply to migrants entering EU territory legally and, secondly, that it will be implemented by member states on a voluntary basis."

The Commission proposal needs unanimous support at EU Council level to be approved.