Brussels, 21/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - During International Refugee Day on 20 June, the European Commission indicated that it had succeeded in obtaining another budget line for €7 million to help member states, such as Sweden and Malta, tackle the significant influx of refugees. This announcement was made in a letter from Commissioner Franco Frattini sent on 20 June to the German minister of the interior, Wolfgang Schauble. In his letter, the commissioner calls on member states to exchange and update information on countries of origin in an effort to recognise the need to protect refugees. Around 9,000 Iraqis arrived in Sweden in 2006, which corresponds to almost half of the 20,000 refugees demanding asylum in the EU. The UNHCR indicated that the number of refugees under its mandate grew by 14% last year and reached almost ten million, its highest level since 2002. The 27 countries of the EU, however, received 53% fewer asylum demands in 2006 than in 2002. Border controls and measures against illegal immigration constitute “an important obstacle for refugees trying to reach the European Union”, whilst “it is certain, on the other hand, that reasons for asylum demands - violence and persecution - are as urgent as ever”, explained Amnesty International in a press release. Paying homage to those who risk their lives crossing oceans in search of a better life, Socialist parliamentarian Martine Roure (France) also warned against putting asylum seekers and migrants in the same category, because this would put the former's rights at risk as well as the principle of non-deportation. The president of the EP's human rights sub committee, Hélène Flautre (Green/EFA, France) highlighted the absence of protection for climate refugees - “this is one of the most serious consequences of climate change (desertification, rising water levels, droughts etc) which is still not discussed very much”. 25 million people are affected by this phenomenon and a UN report in 2005 expected 50 million “ecological refugees” by 2010 and several hundred million by the middle of the 21st century. (bc)