The European Commission has decided on a package of short- to long-term measures to help Malta and southern EU member states plagued by illegal immigration and asylum-seekers.

Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot will next week give Home Affairs Ministers a set of proposals that include financial help, the setting up of a specific mechanism of burden-sharing and the opening of an EU/UNHCR office in Libya to assess asylum requests.

"I was shocked with the situation when I came to Malta and decided your island needs help and soon," Mr Barrot told The Times yesterday.

The decision on the package was taken yesterday at a meeting of the College of Commissioners held on the personal initiative of President Josè Manuel Barroso.

Mr Barrot will be officially writing to the 27 member states today specifying the various measures the Commission will be tabling to get the ball rolling this summer.

According to the draft letter, seen by The Times, the Commission will be presenting a set of proposals, most of which are in line with what the Maltese government has been calling for over the past years.

These include €10 million in additional funds to the existing financial instruments and a burden-sharing mechanism whereby member states would be able to resettle refugees and those granted asylum status in their countries. This will first work on a voluntary basis, although the Commission intended to ask for specific quotas from member states in the long-term. This quota system was used in the past in the case of Iraqi refugees.

The Commission will also be tabling Malta's specific proposal to set up, together with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, reception centres in North African countries, particularly Libya. This would give potential asylum-seekers the possibility to have their applications assessed without risking their lives and escaping in rugged boats to Malta, Italy or other southern member states.

The EU Executive is also proposing increased Frontex patrols and a conference with Libya and all interested parties to discuss concrete solutions.

The proposals were well received by Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici who said Malta had been insisting on more help and yesterday's proposals showed its efforts were reaping the desired results.

"This issue takes time and a lot of effort, patience and perseverance. However, Malta is definitely making its voice heard and the Commission is reacting. We will continue on this path until we get all the possible help we need," he said.

Mr Barrot said the failure to share the burden among member states had to stop and the Commission would be doing its utmost to help the island as of this summer.

"We have to persuade all member states to extend real and concrete help and not stop at promises. The Commission is coming out with concrete proposals and, although these won't completely solve the problem, they will contribute towards a more balanced situation," he said.

Asked why the Commission was still insisting on a voluntary rather than a compulsory burden-sharing mechanism, which Italy and Malta were requesting, Mr Barrot said this was the final long-term plan but "it needs much more work to be achieved".

"The Commission can only suggest and member states have to agree. We are trying to make this attractive by offering member states €4,000 for every person taken from Malta and resettled.

"In the long-term, maybe as early as next year, we will ask member states to pledge quotas. But now is not the right time. There is an economic crisis, low employment and an election campaign on the way."

On Libya's cooperation, a pillar in the Commission's proposed strategy, Mr Barrot said he was convinced Libyan authorities were now more proactive to give a helping hand. "We will offer financial assistance, increased acceptance in the international community and maybe also the facilitation of visa for Libyan citizens," he said.

Mr Barrot is planning to visit Libya in the coming weeks together with UNHCR chief Antonio Guterres to start discussing the specifics of the proposals with Tripoli.

Malta received a total of 5,245 asylum applications between 2006 and 2008, the highest per capita in the EU.