Luxembourg, 05/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, the EU took a stance in favour of strengthening the maritime borders to the south of Europe in order to avoid a further massive inflow of illegal immigrants.
Ministers also undertook to look at the possibility of giving a boost to the personnel, equipment, budget and the coordination procedures of the European external borders agency (Frontex). They also chose to swiftly adopt the regulation establishing a mechanism for the creation of Rapid Border Intervention Teams (RABIT). The Commission was asked to present a communication by end 2006 to improve EU capabilities for managing migratory crisis situations. Ministers called for progress to be made for the development of an integrated management strategy and system for internal borders (the guidelines of which should be adopted by December 2006). Emphasis will now be placed on the follow-up to be given to the Rabat Conference as recently indicated by the Finnish prime minister in a letter sent to the leaders in the southern part of the Union (EUROPE 9276).
In parallel, ministers of the interior decided to set up a mutual information system based on the measures taken by Member States in areas such as asylum and immigration. In theory, this decision is expected to dissuade Member States from massively regularising illegal immigrants, which according the French minister of the interior Nicolas Sarkozy, only constitute appeals from illegal immigrant candidates. During their dinner, ministers reached an agreement on the problem of drugs and narcotics, notably with regard to the situation in Afghanistan. Commissioner Frattini declared that, “what is most worrying is the increasing link between drugs and the funding of Taliban terrorist groups”. Despite NATO operations that are in place, he regretted that the south of the country was “totally in Taliban hands”. Ministers continued discussions on Thursday on progress accomplished in the field of freedom, security and justice, by setting the objective, by the time of the European Council of 14-15 December, improvements in the decision making mechanism. A political agreement was gained on the draft regulation setting up an instrument for preparations and rapid response to major crises (natural disasters, terrorist attacks etc). (bc)