Brussels, 22/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - Meeting in Alicante (Spain) on 16 April, the foreign affairs ministers of countries bordering the Mediterranean focused on the challenge of migration during the first session of their contact group.
“The tragic events that have recently taken place in the Mediterranean have once again brought to the fore the way in which illegal immigration (exposes) human tragedy”, said the ministers. The MED Group was created in Brussels on 16 December 2013, on the sidelines of the EU Foreign Affairs Council. It should, according to a source from the Greek Presidency of the Council, form a “network of cooperation and joint initiatives on all issues arising from the Foreign Affairs Council and from the EU in general” in policies likely to have an impact on the region. Coordination of the Med Group is assured by the permanent representations of the EU countries in Brussels. A meeting of its foreign affairs ministers is planned ahead of each session of the Council of the EU. The group includes Greece, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta.
In Alicante, the seven ministers stated that “far from diminishing, migratory pressure in the Mediterranean is increasing due to the situation of instability and poverty in the countries of origin”. They underline that the Mediterranean-bordering countries are not alone in having to bear this responsibility. “We are bearing the weight” of the responsibility in monitoring this part of the EU's external border and, they observe, they are often themselves only countries of transit. “Increased participation from all the member states, in a decisive way, in the efforts to promote an overall approach to migratory issues” is needed, these countries state. And the challenges that are common for the entire EU “can only be fully handled through the adoption of short- to long-term measures”, both at the level of the EU and in each of the third countries. The ministers also stress the duty of “mobilising resources for the management of migratory flows” and call for the implementation of an EU migratory policy which is “fully integrated in its external action”.
For this reason, it would be “essential to improve the coordination mechanisms between the member states, the EEAS and the European Commission” and to define “European instruments” able to be “used as effectively as possible to promote cooperation with third countries in the overall approach to migration and mobility”. The MED Group ministers insist on the need to require third countries to sign readmission agreements. In return, the partnerships for mobility that have previously been signed with Morocco and Tunisia must be accompanied by the necessary European financing. “We are pleased about the signature of several partnerships with third countries from the Mediterranean area”, the ministers note, and they underline the interest in using the Rabat process and the joint EU-Africa strategy. “The promotion of migratory cooperation and regional dialogue” with the different parties from Africa is recommended. The minsters from the MED Group plan to discuss this subject at the European Council in June (our translation throughout). (FB)