Brussels, 28/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - The EU will send a team of experts to manage the massive influx of illegal immigrants arriving by sea on the island of Lampedusa, Franco Frattini, justice, freedom and security commissioner, said on Friday. “I asked a technical mission of experts from my Directorate General and the FRONTEX Agency to leave for Italy … to produce a plan of concrete actions to be implemented urgently,” Mr Frattini wrote in a letter to Giuliano Amato, the Italian interior minister.
The previous day, Mr Amato sent a letter to Mr Frattini requesting EU assistance in dealing with the massive and permanent influx of illegal immigrants to Lapedusa. “Over the last two weeks, more than 2,000 illegal immigrants, mostly North African citizens, have arrived in Lampedusa,” he said. “In Lampedusa and all over this country, the reception capacities have been overwhelmed,” he went on. Mr Amato, then, wanted “European Union solidarity to be brought into play” particularly with regard to Libya, from where the majority of boats, sometimes carrying between 200 and 300 migrants, leave. “I believe it is urgent for the EU to send a message to the Libyan government so that it takes more effective action,” he added. German interior minister Wolfgang Schäuble wrote to Mr Amato on Thursday to say that “experts from the Federal police will be available for any joint intervention by border police in Lampedusa. I see this as a sign of European solidarity”.
“I understand and share the concerns you expressed in your letter,” Mr Frattini replied to Mr Amato, pointing out that “the principle of solidarity which should motivate joint European action with regard to each of the Member States certainly requires an initiative, given the large number of illegal immigrants who have arrived and who arrive every day” on the Italian coast. The Commissioner said that he was currently assessing the use of funding already granted for repatriation flights to the countries of origin, so that Italy can benefit from them as quickly as possible, particularly through return flights organised jointly with other Member States. He said he was checking the possibility of advancing the departure of the monitoring mission in the Central Mediterranean (“Jason I). He indicated that he was making contact with Libyan authorities, with whom the EU intended “to intensify dialogue and cooperation on all aspects of the migration problem”. He concluded by stressing the importance of “strengthening action against illegal working”, which, unfortunately, is a determining factor in attracting illegal immigration” (see EUROPE 9236).