Economic crisis cuts number of illegals

The number of illegal migrants stopped at EU borders has dropped 16 per cent in one year because of the economic crisis, the European border security agency said.

Frontex said numbers had dropped from 24,000 in the first quarter of 2008 to 20,200 over the same period this year.

"The economic crisis has reduced the number of jobs and the possibility of finding one. It has reduced hope and therefore the will of those involved to take on all the difficulties is weaker," Frontex deputy director Gil Arias Fernandez said.

Separate figures for the number of people arriving in Sicily in southern Italy, including on the island of Lampedusa, for January 1 to July 5, also showed a marked drop in arrivals.

Some 6,760 immigrants arrived this year compared with 14,800 last year, a fall of 54 per cent.

The figures only partly reflect the impact of a controversial agreement between Italy and Libya that allows the Italian navy to intercept illegal migrants at sea and return them to Libya, from where they set off for Europe. The agreement has had "a very strong dissuading effect," said Arias Fernandes.