Brussels, 26/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - European home affairs ministers, European organisations and experts met in Polish capital Warsaw on Tuesday 25 October at the 51st Conference of the European Migration Network (EMN). On the agenda was tackling illegal immigration into the EU. One of the measures taken by the EU in February 2009 to discourage illegal migration was the directive establishing sanctions against those who employ illegal immigrants. Marta Cygan, Director for Immigration and Asylum at DG Justice and Home Affairs of the European Commission, dwelt on this point, stating that this was an effective way of tackling illegal immigration into Europe. The slowness of some member states in taking measures is, however, testing her patience: “Member states must impose criminal sanctions. And for this, the directive has to be incorporated into national law. A number of states have not yet completed the ratification process”.
On 19 February 2009, the European Parliament approved the directive establishing sanctions against employers of illegal immigrants. This directive also makes provision for illegal immigrants to receive back-payment of wages due them. Member states have two years from the date of publication of the directive in the Official Journal of the EU to transpose it. (VW/transl.rt)