Brussels, 02/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - France's interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, who has made a tour of Europe on immigration, met European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström in Brussels on Monday 1 September to tell her of France's intention to take part in the future Frontex + operation - an operation has been announced for the Mediterranean Sea as of November.
The Frontex + operation is intended gradually to replace the Italian Mare Nostrum operation, which patrols between Italy and Libya in order to recover migrants in distress. Malmström has launched a call for participation in Frontex +. The European Commission and Italy are currently defining the appropriate area and scope of the operation, which is likely to be less extensive than the Italian operation. Malmström and Cazeneuve also discussed migratory pressure in the EU, strengthening borders and solidarity with the refugees. Malmström called on the member states to resettle in their own countries refugees who are blocked in neighbouring conflict countries, such as Lebanon or Jordan. “Currently, not even half the member states are proceeding with this resettlement”, Malmström stated.
Cazeneuve called on the member states to comply carefully with the European law, especially as regards registering the migrants who arrive on their soil, and to apply the asylum directives that improve the conditions for looking after asylum seekers. Cazeneuve also spoke of the situation in Calais (France), through which many migrants pass in order to reach England - and where criminal smuggler networks also run rampant. (SP)