Libya keeps EU guessing on migration

A year of technical negotiations between the EU and Libya on illegal migration has seen little concrete progress and Tripoli still keeps Brussels guessing on what it wants to achieve and when.

External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero Waldner this week admitted that talks between the two sides were still ongoing and there was no idea when the discussions could be wrapped up.

"The fifth round of negotiations is due to take place in early November 2009 in Brussels. At this stage, all the chapters have been addressed and several articles have already been agreed. However, it is yet too early to foresee the end of the negotiations," she said.

She was answering a question by Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil on the status of negotiations.

In the summer of 2008, the EU was given a mandate by member states to start negotiations with Muammar Gaddafi's government in a bid to reach a framework cooperation agreement on various issues including migration.

Libya is the only north African country still without this kind of agreement with the EU.

Before talks started, Brussels had also announced it was prepared to offer financial assistance to Tripoli to facilitate more cooperation. Despite this offer, Libya is still dragging its feet to make progress.

Ms Ferrero Waldner told Dr Busuttil that Brussels even suggested ad hoc cooperation for the short term, so there would be no need to wait for the final general agreement to move things ahead but there had been no response so far.

"The Commission is ready to assist the Libyan authorities to enhance their capacities in order to prevent the entry into, and exit from, their territory of irregular migrants as well as improving the treatment of migrants in the respect of human rights and international law and to facilitate the identification of and assistance to migrants in need of international protection."

Despite this extended offer, the EU is still awaiting a reply from Tripoli four months down the line.

"The letter to Libya was sent by Commissioner (Jacques) Barrot and the Swedish Presidency but we are still awaiting a reaction," Ms Ferrero Waldner said.

Despite various attempts by the EU to cooperate with Libya on illegal migration in the past years, Tripoli has been reluctant to join these efforts. Libya has so far refused offers by the EU's border control agency Frontex to take part in joint anti-migration patrols in the Mediteraranean together with Malta and other member states.

The North African country is considered to be the main source of illegal immigrants crossing the Mediterranen towards Europe. Almost all the illegal immigrants landing on Malta's shores depart on boats from Libyan ports.