Luxembourg, 17/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - The General Affairs Council failed to reach agreement on Monday on draft conclusions on illegal immigration, so it will be transmitted as it is to the Seville European Council. France, Sweden and Luxembourg oppose two paragraphs introducing the option of suspending aid and cooperation agreements with countries illegal immigrants come from or travel through that do not "cooperate" in combating illegal immigration. The 12 other Member States agree to the paragraphs in question.
The first of the disputed paragraphs stipulates that the Council can invite the Commission, without prejudice to the main objectives of the Community's development policy (in particular the need to focus aid on cutting poverty) to review within the framework of its powers and respecting the commitments already made, aid already allocated to non-cooperative countries. This wording was a compromise with regard to the previous versions put forward by the Spanish Presidency which did not stipulate that only aid not already granted could be suspended.
The second disputed paragraph notes that all new Cooperation, Association or similar agreements signed by the EU with countries illegal immigrants come from or travel through would have to include a clause on cooperating to manage migratory flows, reflecting short and medium-term concerns. In the event of failure to meet the obligations set out in this clause, the appropriate dialogue and dispute settlement mechanisms of the agreement in question would set in, including the option of suspending the agreement. Spain attempted a compromise here too by stipulating that the clause would only apply once the dispute settlement mechanisms had been implemented.
The EU agreed on the rest of the document, setting out what the Council expects of non-EU Member States and of aid. It envisages aid "if needed" for the countries illegal immigrants come from or travel through, noting that the EU will do everything put measures into operation with the countries illegal immigrants come from or travel through in terms of sending back illegal immigrants (see EUROPE of 15 June, p.7 for details).