Brussels, 19/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - Effectively, only three paragraphs have focused on the subject of immigration and it has been referred to the European Council in June 2014. This is the very modest place that heads of state and/or government have afforded in the text of the conclusions of the European Council. On Friday 20 December, they are due to discuss what measures to take, following the tragic events of 3 October last in Lampedusa, which led to the deaths of 360 migrants.
The three paragraphs in the provisional conclusions have slightly changed over the past few days but essentially maintain the same ideas: the priority given to cooperation with non-EU countries to prevent migrants leaving, to regional protection programmes, and to partnerships for mobility and an effective returns policy. The European Council also underlines the importance it attaches to resettling people who need protection, without, nevertheless, making any concrete commitment at a European level. Provisional conclusions indicate that the Council attaches importance to the “contribution to the efforts made at an international level in this area”.
The draft text indicates that, for all the other issues, the European Council is satisfied with the Commission communication, “which defines 38 operational measures”. EU leaders would like a full-scale mobilisation to ensure that the proposed measures in this communication are implemented, “according to a clearly defined timetable”. One source explained that this form of words did not, however, mean that the Council would “implement all the measures proposed on 4 December”. Some countries have already publicly voiced their opposition to some of these measures, such as “humanitarian visas” for people in need of protection in third countries. Some countries are necessarily not in favour of seeing this mechanism developed at European level and which would become binding. These countries, including France, are afraid of what signal this might send out to migrants, creating a certain in-draught effect.
The European Council also advocates “enhanced border surveillance operations carried out by Frontex, as well as action to tackle the trafficking of migrants and human beings, as well as appropriate solidarity with regard to member states subject to strong migratory pressures”. The leaders is expected to discuss these questions on Friday but both the substance and level of the discussions will also depend on the other dossiers on the agenda, explained one source. The subject could assume greater importance if the Italian Prime Minister, Enrico Letta, is taken to task regarding his country's' treatment of migrants, particularly in Lampedusa. This treatment has been described as degrading and on Wednesday it caused another row with Commissioner Malmström (see EUROPE 10987). (SP/transl.fl)