Malta offers to host European Asylum Support Office

Malta has offered to host the European Asylum Support Office being set up by the European Union.

The offer was made by Justice and Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici during a meeting of European Home Affairs Ministers in Brussels today.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici welcomed the setting up of the office as an initiative to meet the challenges which the EU faced on its southern frontiers.

The office will help frontier states through the provision of information, analysis and reports on the countries of origin of asylum seekers, staff training and other support to member states.

The Office will also coordinate the transfer, on a voluntary basis within the EU, of persons who would have been granted humanitarian status.

During today's meeting, Dr Mifsud Bonnici tabled a document prepared by Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Malta highlighting immigration issues and spoke on the extent of the problem.

He insisted that the EU should be seen to be taking action on illegal migration.