EU ministers, Canada vow migration cooperation
Six EU governments and Canada vowed today to boost cooperation in cracking down on illegal immigration, led by France and Italy, who have drawn criticism for deporting Roma minorities.
Officials agreed to seek "accelerated procedures" for dealing with people whose requests for asylum or immigration have been refused, said French Immigration Minister Eric Besson.
"We must join in new cooperation in the fight against irregular immigration," Besson told a news conference after hosting the meeting, held ahead of an EU ministerial conference in Brussels on September 13-14.
Besson was flanked by Italy's Interior Minister Roberto Maroni as well as his Canadian counterpart Jason Kenney and junior ministers from Greece, Britain, Germany and Belgium, which holds the EU presidency.
The French government has drawn criticism from UN experts and human rights groups for clearing Roma from camps and deporting them to EU members Romania and Bulgaria as part of President Nicolas Sarkozy's law and order drive.
Maroni's party, the anti-immigrant Northern League which is a pillar of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's coalition, has praised France's expulsion of Roma as a model to follow.
Besson denied France is engaged in "collective expulsions", insisting the Roma were leaving voluntarily in return for payments, and reiterated his insistence that France was respecting EU laws on freedom of movement.
Maroni said Italy had cracked down on unauthorised migration by boat from North Africa and was looking at curbing arrivals from elsewhere in southeast Europe, notably via Turkey.
"The next step in this process is to create a unified European system in legislative terms so that all countries have the same rules and standards in order to better manage a significant phenomenon," Maroni said.
Kenney said meeting with the EU leaders had been "very useful" because "a large number of false asylum claims" and human-trafficking posed a threat to Canada's immigration system.
The ministers said Canada received the third-biggest number of asylum claims in the world in 2009 and France the second-biggest after the United States.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
33 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Denis Catania
Sep 7th 2010, 16:50
The group Save Malta From Illegal Immigration suppports these six EU countries and urges the Maltese government to join and or support them.
Sean Grima
Sep 8th 2010, 16:08
how ridiculous!
Sean Grima
Sep 7th 2010, 13:59
like a drowning man, the professor from main street university tried to clutch at straws: NGOs lobby for migrants right because that is the correct moral and ethical thing to do, even if they do not get a cent from the EU
D. Portelli
Sep 7th 2010, 09:44
How intelligent and superior is Mr.Sean Grima compared to the maltese citizens just trying to be deviant,he doesn't notice and feel any problems, and migrants are not leaving any impact on countries such as America,britain,Sweden,holland etc where according to research almost 70% of the criminality is caused by fresh new migrants or migrants who have settled in the country (just look for it in the google).
But beware cause those against illegal immigration can't give their opinion otherwise he'll call them racists,xenophobia,full of hatred.He should be given the title as a Baruni in the maltese society.
Sean Grima
Sep 7th 2010, 10:24
the GWU has confirmed that migrants have not negatively effected the economy, thus blowing one of the bubbles created by the antiui-immigrants. they have now shifted to the crime bubble, using statistice from another country.
it seems that only african migrants irk these people.
Jesmond Micallef
Sep 7th 2010, 10:48
Good one Sean Grima.
Indeed - "it seems that only african migrants irk these people."
Charles Vassallo
Sep 7th 2010, 10:54
Sean Grima tel it to the marines Sean Grima. The GWU has become a puppet with the money it is receiving from the EU to look after the interests of the African Illegal Immigrants and abandoned the interests of the Maltese workers for whom it was set up. No wonder the GWU is losing members left right and centre. Whether you like it or not Sean, your darlings will be expelled from Malta come what may and you will be free to join them in Africa.
Sean Grima
Sep 8th 2010, 16:07
please let me know when these expulsions start, i'd love to watch
Sean Grima
Sep 7th 2010, 08:37
like drowning men who clutch at straws, they clutch at straws...they try to allege that NGOs help migrants in order to receive EU funds, whereas NGOs do this because it is their mission, and have been doing it well before Malta joined the EU!
CZarb
Sep 7th 2010, 09:40
And let me guess? Who pays for their 'charity'? Ah the local taxpayer.
The writing is on the wall. The open gates policy which many EU funded NGOs defend is unsustainable and will only cause grief not only to locals but also to immigrants who will end up in countries who do not need them and cannot sustain them, let alone help them to integrate. Now we either keep on insisting on this system which is causing friction between both immigrants and locals, giving strength to parties like Lega Nord or else we come out with something new. Going around the negotiation table with Gheddafi will give us a say on how immigation should be controlled and how immigrants should be treated there. Its ironic that so many people are against negotiating with Libya but are more then keen to treat terrorist governed countries like Palestine with great respect.
Stephen Koludrovic
Sep 7th 2010, 10:23
If the NGOS mission is to help these people,then not Malta but Africa is their place.
There are too many abandoned wives and children, that because of their quest for a better life these immigrants leave behind.
Charles Sammut
Sep 7th 2010, 10:36
The mission of the NGOs like the JRS is to increae their influence and material wealth. Let the fidili dream about paradise.
Check out Simon Busuttil's site http://www.simonbusuttil.eu/default.asp?module=news&id=10138
You will see that in 2004 the JRS Malta received hundreds of thousands of Euros. The GWU, who was so much against illegal immigration at the beginning, soon changed tune when it got a few hundred thousand euros from the EU. Read all about it on that link. And that was only in 2004/5. I can well imagine how many millions they got by now.
Sean Grima, do you think that we are all balali? Yes, mission my foot.
Sean Grima
Sep 7th 2010, 14:00
it seems that the attack on immigrants is really a cover for an attack against the EU. typically callous to use the plight of these people as a scapegoat
Jesmond Micallef
Sep 6th 2010, 21:57
People move because they seek a better life, it not, they wouldn't move in the first place. Countries like the USA, Canada and Australia where all built by people who left their own homelands for a reason. I'm very sure its wasn't a voyage of pioneering discovery like the types we read about such as Cook, Franklin, Drake, Rayleigh, De Gama, Colombus, Polo, the Vikings or the Phoenicians!!
While this African migration problem has now reached alarming levels politically, post cold war migration into western europe has also made its impact. Ex state property in the ex soviet union made a few people extremely all mighty rich while others still live in near poverty. Some of these all mighty rich people have established themselves very nicely in europe. I just wonder what would happen if Mr. rich man Robert Mugabe moves into europe. How would europe react then ? Furthermore, some ex warsaw pact countries are also becoming very good sources for sexual labour, too !!
Indeed cooperation, we all need to cooperate in sharing what mother earth provides us with !!
CZarb
Sep 7th 2010, 09:50
You are free to ask any native American, Aborigine and Maya what was the impact of forced integration and whether or not they had enjoyed the strength in diversity brought thanks to it. Immigration is a good thing as long as its needed and it is controlled. Unfortunately Europe and many western countries do not need unskilled labor because much of that work is being outsourced to China and India. Now we either stick to the present system which is clearly unsustainable or else we come with something new. The Western world have already paid alot for its past mistakes and should not be accountable for the lack of human rights in third world countries, countries btw who are held in great regard by the UN enough to allow terrorists to use their ambulance.
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=38747
Jesmond Micallef
Sep 7th 2010, 10:36
When is immigration a good thing ? Probably, when mostly needed such as in instances of "rebuilding a civilised nation after being destroyed in a very civilised manner, by civilised nations !!" - consider Germany after WW2 !!
Denis Catania
Sep 7th 2010, 17:06
@Jesmond Micallef: Legal immigration builds nations. Illegal immigration destroys nations.
Sean Grima
Sep 9th 2010, 11:28
as usual, denis catania conveniently ignores the notion of asylum.
Robert Vagner
Sep 6th 2010, 20:12
Interesting that Canada is so much worried about the illegal immigration now. One just can not forget that few hundred years ago the Natives used to call it "White people"... History lessons are being ignored as required by convenience, as the one that the ex colonizers are complaining mostly after their forefathers ravaged the same African and American people by exploiting their resources without leaving anything for the Natives. Perhaps they are coming now back for what is theirs?
CZARB
Sep 7th 2010, 07:11
Canada/US are not putting limitations on native/Afro American immigration. What they are trying to control is illegal immigration which is seen a threat by everyone apart from the NGOs
patrick zammit
Sep 6th 2010, 19:11
Maltese politicians
Wake up!
A Camilleri
Sep 6th 2010, 18:11
Why isn't our minister or his representative taking part? Is this problem not ours too? Or is it the policy that we revert for help from other EU countries when the problem is extreme? Is Minister Mifsud Bonnici afraid to speak against illegal immigration lest it damages (?) friendship with our southern neighbours? I wonder. . . !
Stephen Koludrovic
Sep 6th 2010, 18:08
LOL ! The only countries that are in favour of illegal immigration are the countries that are exporting these immigrants.
CZARB
Sep 6th 2010, 17:57
Weren't we told that illegal immigration is seen as an opportunity in Europe?
Charles Sammut
Sep 6th 2010, 19:50
That is true. They are an opportunity for certain NGOs and Unions to rake in EU funds and get income tax exemptions.
Sean Grima
Sep 7th 2010, 11:25
you are free to believe what you want. point remains that nobody in authority takes any notice of such opinions.
mario gellel
Sep 6th 2010, 17:50
AND THE GOVERMENT OF MALTA???? (GHADU RIEQED JEW??)
Michael Neville Cassar
Sep 6th 2010, 17:27
At last someone is putting his foot down and I ask why not Malta has not joined too ?
Joe Borg
Sep 6th 2010, 17:15
When is our pair of strong hand going to do the same?
JOe VELLa
Sep 6th 2010, 18:39
He could be anywhere! He could be here and he could be there! but according to the report if he was there no one heard him, so for sure he was not there. HA!
I Abela
Sep 6th 2010, 17:15
If some of us say something against illegal immigration we are labeled as racists. Minister Mifsud Bonnici also made xenophobia illegal. Now Canada, Italy, Greece, Britain, Germany and Belgium, which holds the EU presidency are furious about illegal immigration. Will our politicians call them racists or jump on the bandwagon ?
Charles Sammut
Sep 6th 2010, 19:02
Those are OK, they do not contest any elections in Malta and so are no threat to the status quo.
v mercieca
Sep 6th 2010, 19:08
Well said