Brussels, 21/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - European Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Jacques Barrot has rejected the concerns expressed by a number of countries that improvement in the European asylum system would result in a surge of illegal immigrants into the EU. “We have been told that clarification of asylum procedures will attract and encourage more illegal immigration. But, on the contrary, it is a clear, rational, harmonised system that is the best way to combat the traffickers in misery who are taking advantage of the administrative confusion,” Barrot said on Wednesday 21 October presenting two new asylum proposals. The first is to amend the “Qualification” directive which seeks to bring the status of refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection more into line (for example, by granting leave to remain for three years), and the second to improve the “Procedure” directive, which proposes the creation of a single procedure for both kinds of status (see EUROPE 10002). “These new proposals will strengthen the protection of those who need it most,” the commissioner said, expressing his pleasure that all the proposals promised by the Commission on asylum issues had now been completed, so that a common European system could be set up by 2012. Barrot regretted, however, that, influenced by “populist movements, some governments believe that the European asylum system could present risks”. He pointed out, however, that everyone would gain from clarification of the rules. “I hope that these new rules will be adopted reasonably quickly by the Council. But, to be successful, every country will have to show real European solidarity,” he said. (B.C./transl.rt)