St George's Bay/Malta, 09/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - The EPP/ED group at the European Parliament concluded its two “study days” in Malta on Friday 6 July. The event had focused on the future of Euro-Mediterranean policy, maritime policy and, above all, managing immigration policies. It was attended by the Maltese prime minister, Lawrence Gonzi.
The debate on the theme of immigration, in particular, provoked some lengthy debates, and was attended by European Commissioner Franco Frattini and members of the Maltese government. This debate was fuelled by two concerns: one, from Malta, attempting to exonerate itself from recent accusations of “inhumanity” and the other, from the need (clearly highlighted by the president Frattini) to make great strides in progress towards the implementation of a common European response to the challenges of immigration. This was accompanied by an announcement of a series of consultation meetings in the autumn with different third countries that are affected by this issue, including Libya.
Accusations levelled by member states and the European Commission in June at Malta involved the country's refusal to take in refugees rescued at sea by Spanish boats. The government claimed that this was the responsibility of Libya and Italy because Maltese ministers speaking to the EPP-ED repeated that the task was too onerous for their little “island country”. This is because, in contrast to the Italian island of Lampedusa and the Spanish Canary islands, Malta does not have a deep “hinterland” that can manage the reception of immigrants differently. Strongly affected by these constraints, Malta is calling on all its European partners to express active solidarity, “burden sharing” and implementation of active and structured cooperation that would immediately facilitate rectification of the failings of a common policy that is late in taking shape. EPP-ED president, Joseph Daul, made a heart-felt appeal for the implementation of a common policy: “We have clearly received the message sent by Malta…we have felt the distress of the refugees and the extreme difficulty of their situation, despite the efforts made by the Maltese authorities”. He gave the Maltese support from his group. A growing unease is affecting the Maltese who do not want to be abandoned by Europe. Daul has placed a lot of hope in the work programme promised by the Portuguese presidency: “Our group will remind it of this commitment” and call on the presidency and Commission to “go further and make a close link between development policy and emigration”.
The “study days” also enabled the group to examine maritime policy. Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot and Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg attended. (fb)