Italy has complained to the EU that it is not fulfilling its commitments as part of an agreement to control the flow of migrants.

The complaint was made by Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Abdelati Al-Obeidi during a meeting with the Italian Parliament's Schengen-Europol and immigration parliamentary committee led by Margherita Boniver.

The Libyan minister said that the EU had not done enough to help Libya stem the inflow of migrants along its southern borders. He said that the EU was to have invested in a sophisticated border monitoring system, which included satellite and air surveillance. Funding was to have been provided partly by Italy and partly by the EU.

Ms Boniver said that Italy had done its part but the EU had not.

The Italian ambassador to Libya said migrants' departures from Libya had declined from 34,600 in 2008 to some 2,000 thanks to better controls and legislation in Libya.

LIBYA CALLS FOR EASIER GRANTING OF VISAS

During the same meeting, Mr Al-Obeidi said Libya was asking to be put on the same level as other North African countries which obtain Schengen area visas within 48 working hours. He complained that Libyans had to wait up to 10 days. Boniver said that Italy had repeatedly called on equalising the treatment of Libya but that it had not yet obtained the necessary unanimity.