Brussels, 20/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - "Faster, faster" was the ambition expressed by the French, German, Italian, British and Spanish Ministers of the Interior during their meeting in La Baule, on Sunday and Monday. The Five mainly foresee negotiating among themselves on reentry agreements for illegal immigrants with transit countries and countries of origin, if the Commission does not make faster headway in this connection.
Restating the criticism expressed during the informal JHA meeting in Rome, French Minister Nicolas Sarkozy explained that the Five are urging the Commission to go forward more rapidly with the re-entry agreements with which it is tasked so that it may say "things are moving" or "things are not moving" so that, if things are not moving, Member States may resume negotiations. The Five are considering the designation of a leading country for negotiating on behalf of the others on re-entry agreements on the basis of a framework agreement, Nicolas Sarkozy said.
The Five are also contemplating the organisation of flights scheduled for grouped returns of illegal migrants, Nicolas Sarkozy said. Italian Minister Giuseppe Pisanu confirmed his intention to make concrete proposals against illegal immigration by sea. The Five called for resources to be pooled for managing borders, Mr Sarkozy continued. Spanish Minister Angel Acebes insisted on the proposal of directive making it compulsory for carriers to provide data on air, maritime and road passengers within the Schengen Area.
Nicolas Sarkozy defended this outlined strengthened cooperation, stressing in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche that the group of Five has formed because it is operationally more difficult to take decisions between 15 today and 25 tomorrow, especially in fields where reaction is needed. He said that decisions must be prepared by five if we want a more successful Europe. German Minister Otto Schilly felt these discussions were extremely useful but that they do not replace the EU. At the Commission, it is felt that strengthened cooperation "are not taboo" and that it is a positive thing for some countries to be able to go further.
The next G5 meeting is expected to be held in February 2004 in Germany. It will be essentially devoted to reform of Europol, Mr Sarkozy said.