Busuttil calls for compulsory solidarity

Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil, in his capacity as the European Parliament's rapporteur on the EU's common migraton policy, yesterday called for the endorsement of a serious of initiatives at European level aimed at easing the burden on countries like Malta facing disproportionate immigration problems.

In a report to the EP's Civil Liberties Committee EP, Dr Busuttil suggested that the EU should introduce compulsory solidarity between member states in terms of contributions to Frontex missions, the possibility of Frontex having its own assets, such as boats and planes, and the delivery of a Commission programme to introduce an intra-EU re-allocation of asylum seekers and refugees.

The report, which is expected to draw a number of amendments due to the sensitivity of the subject to all the 27 EU member states, will now be discussed by the committee before a discussion and a final vote is taken at next April's EP plenary session in Strasbourg.

Introducing his report, Dr Busuttil referred continuously to the situation in Malta, using the island as an example on why the EU needs a common immigration policy. He was critical of the slow progress made so far at EU level on the matter and called for swift progress.

"EU policy in this area remains fragmented and we need to put the pieces together," he told MEPs. "More ambition is required for EU member states to put aside national pride and agree to work better and together in this area, if necessary by pooling their sovereignty."

Focusing on illegal immigration, Dr Busuttil said that combating this phenomenon was now a matter of urgency for the EU due to the human tragedy unfolding every year, notably at the EU's southern borders.

"Although the Frontex agency remains the ideal vehicle to channel European collective response to illegal immigration, the agency has not been sufficiently effective and should be further strengthened both in terms of financial resources and in terms of its capacity to act," he stressed.

The report says there is a need to establish a system of compulsory solidarity whereby EU member states that commit assets to Frontex truly live up to their promises and participate in its missions. This has been one of the main problems affecting recent Frontex missions off the Maltese coast as not all member states that had promised to send boats and other resources kept their word.

The report also calls upon the European Commission to set up "without further delay" the solidarity and burden-sharing mechanism envisaged in the European Immigration and Asylum Pact approved by EU leaders last October.

"This mechanism will initially consist of a voluntary programme that will enable, for the first time, the intra-EU allocation of beneficiaries of international protection from member states, which are faced with specific and disproportionate pressures on their national asylum systems due in particular to their geographical or demographical situation, to other member states."

Dr Busuttil recommended the introduction of solidarity in the case of rescue operations in maritime zones falling under the jurisdiction of third countries and a review of the Dublin regulation in the context of the European Common Asylum Policy.

MEPs from all political groups described the report as "a very balanced one".