EU ministers discussing migration
A document on the way forward on illegal immigration, prepared by Malta, Cyprus, Italy and Greece, is being discussed at a meeting of EU Home Affairs Ministers in Prague today.
The four countries earlier this week had insisted with the Czech EU presidency that the document should be discussed, and immigration has to remain on the EU agenda.
The document was discussed by the ministers from the four countries - known as the Quadro Group - in Rome last Tuesday.
The ministers called for effective implementation of the Immigration Act , readmission agreements with countries of transit for illegal migrants, the establishment of better mechanisms for the repatriation for such migrants, the strengthening of Frontex border patrols and the creation of the burden-sharing mechanisms mentioned in the Pact.
Intervening during this morning’s debate, Home Affairs Minister Mifsud Bonnici insisted that migration was a problem of the Union as a whole and was not limited to the Mediterranean EU states.
"Malta will relentlessly pursue the implementation of what had been agreed to in the Pact for Immigration and Asylum in the shortest time possible,” the minister said.
In a comment to the press, the French Minister of the Interior, Overseas France and Territorial Communities, Michèle Alliot-Marie expressed France’s openness for the Quadro group’s document. The text also attracted a positive reaction from Spain and was generally well-received by most EU member states.
The Czech Presidency said it has agreed to draft a set of concrete measures based on the Quadro document. The measures would then be discussed during the Council meeting to be held next month in Brussels.
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Christopher Mamo
Jan 15th 2009, 23:54
"Malta will relentlessly pursue the implementation of what had been agreed to in the Pact for Immigration and Asylum in the shortest time possible,” the minister said.
yada yada
P Debono
Jan 15th 2009, 18:26
"EU Ministers discussing migration"... How many times have we seen that title, while nothing has been done by our mangiapasseggia politicians?
Tonio Azzopardi
Jan 15th 2009, 16:24
Yawn.....
E. Azzopardi
Jan 15th 2009, 16:15
So what is new???? In this world, many people discuss a lot of things but in the end they do nothing! Till now this is has been a case in point. Haven't they got a headache yet from "discussing"? Now they discuss for two days and they all go home. Then in three months time they meet to discuss what they have previously discussed and so on and so forth. In the meantime, we wait for the next boat and one after that and the one after that..........
David Pisani
Jan 15th 2009, 16:02
We either have to change eu treaty on the majority or veto voting system or else lets hope the Irish Workers will vote no again.
If it passes Malta wll be not in an equal position in bargaining. But our elites want only the sixth seat not to arrange treaty on this and the services directive.
lgalea
Jan 15th 2009, 15:53
Charles Zammit
You are perfectly right, but unfortunately our Gonzipn hasn't got the guts to do it.
Charles Zammit
Jan 15th 2009, 15:39
Just give the poor illegal sobs a travel document and a free one-way ticket to Prague and that should get the pesky Czechs moving.
These Eastern European have the cheapest wages in Europe and are a pain to themselves and everyone else. If they do not know how to co-operate within the EU, they should go back to form part of their own block in the USSR. Western Europeans are tired of the Eastern Soviet antics of trying to hijack everything from the EU to the Eurovision to gas.