Brussels, 19/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Union will spend 250 million EUR between 2004 and 2008 on helping third countries fight illegal immigration. On Thursday morning, the Justice and Home Affairs Council approved without debate this proposal, which had been submitted by the European Commission last June (EUROPE of 12 June 2003). This "technical and financial assistance" programme will allow the funding of various projects, from information campaigns on trafficking in human beings to the purchase of materials or offices. The EU will also finance feasibility studies, exchanges of experience, and projects to help the governments of transit countries or countries of origin to manage illegal immigration more effectively. The projects will also provide information on the possibilities for legal immigration to the European Union. Public authorities, such as international or non-governmental organisations, may benefit from this money. 120 of the 250 million EUR will be available for the coming three years. The rest of the sum cannot be confirmed until after the adoption of the financial perspectives for 2007-2013. In 2003, a programme of 13 million EUR was given over for co-operation with third countries in the field of immigration. Programmes paid for under external relations, covering all co-operation with a third country, often provide more cash for co-operation against illegal immigration. This, notably, was the case with Morocco.