Barrot suggests stronger EU support for Malta

Fresh from last week's visit to Malta, EU Justice Commission Jaques Barrot has written to his colleagues insisting that Malta needs immediate and long-term help both from the Commission and the EU member states.

According to the information note sent to the College of Commissioners by Mr Barrot, "due to its small size and population density" Malta is having to carry a disproportionate burden which needs to be addressed by the EU on the "short, medium and long term".

The Commissioner suggests that the EU Executive should consider increasing financial help to the island and tackle the issue with a stronger political will.

"The southern maritime frontier is not only the point of entry for these two countries (Italy and Malta) but for all of Europe," the note says. "Thus, a global (EU) response is necessary and a strong political initiative is to be taken and formalised in the short, medium and long term."

From the financial point of view, he suggests the granting of added funds to help in repatriation efforts and to improve the country's reception facilities for migrants and asylum seekers.

"The situation of Malta deserves a particular approach considering its small size and the high population density. Thus, the island should be given resources which go beyond the allocations already granted."

Burden sharing initiatives on an EU level are also in Mr Barrot's plans.

In this area, he tells commissioners that there is a need to accelerate the setting up of a new Asylum Agency, which can help overburdened member states to cope better with influxes of illegal immigrants. In addition, the EU's joint patrols coordinated by Frontex need to be organised better to increase their effectiveness.

"The Commission needs to assure a better organisation of joint Frontex operations notably through the adoption of better guidelines and rules of engagement and more surveillance of the southern maritime borders. Sub-agencies of Frontex should be established in the regions most affected and a surveillance system is to be put in place on the southern Libyan frontiers together with joint patrols in Libya's territorial waters."

The engagement of Libya, which so far has proved to be difficult, needs to be tackled by a stronger political will, according to Mr Barrot.

With regard to Libya and other countries of origin and transit, Mr Barrot says that the EU needs to mobilise all its political and external instruments to make sure that these countries cooperate particularly through readmission and return agreements.

The commissioner also suggests the setting up of intra-EU relocation programmes in which EU member states can share the burden of asylum seekers and refugees with the overburdened member states. Funds through the European refugee Fund can be made available for such programmes.