Brussels, 11/05/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 11 May, the European Commission proposed opening negotiations with Nigeria on a readmission agreement. The Commission announced that the agreement is aimed at ensuring that the identification process and return to Nigeria of Nigerian nationals who do not have the right to remain in the European Union is swift and efficient.
The agreement should respect human rights and ensure that the obligations of the EU and Nigeria under international law (such as the Geneva Convention) are fully upheld. In its September 2015 action plan on returns, the Commission had committed to opening new negotiations on readmission agreements with key countries of origin. Article 13 of the Cotonou Agreement also commits its signatories to negotiating such agreements when requested.
Against this backdrop, the Commission has launched several dialogues with African countries on mobility, which can sooner or later lead to readmission agreements. It has also launched discussions with countries like Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea.
The Commission stated in its September action plan that, in collaboration with the EEAS, the member states and Frontex, it would organise regular bilateral meetings on readmission with the main countries of origin in sub-Saharan Africa in order to implement this Cotonou Agreement arrangement.
The goal of these meetings is to strengthen practical cooperation by establishing channels for communication, and by determining ways for the swift identification of migrants in irregular situations and ways for issuing travel documents or using the EU pass with a view to their return. The Commission says the priority countries with which it is dealing are Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Guinea, the Côte d'Ivoire and Gambia. In addition, the Commission intends to relaunch discussions on readmission agreements with North Africa - especially Tunisia and Morocco, the Commission states in its report of 9 September. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)