Stockholm, 17/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 16 July in Stockholm, EU27 immigration ministers gave their backing to the European Commission's plans to strengthen immigration and asylum policy in coming years. The impetus given by the June European Council seems to have had considerable influence (EUROPE 9925). “I had feared that the crisis would encourage member states to backpedal on commitments”, said Immigration Commissioner Jacques Barrot. “But no, Europeans are determined to manage these migration problems both internally and in a united manner”, he added. “All the Commission's options have been confirmed”, he was pleased to state, regarding the proposals that appear in the communication relating to the future Stockholm programme (EUROPE 9918). During the informal ministerial meeting, ministers discussed measures to be taken to eliminate discrepancy within the EU regarding the management of asylum requests, in order to continue to fight against illegal immigration and develop cooperation between the EU and third countries on the subject of migration.
Prospect of greater solidarity with regard to asylum. The commissioner pointed out how important it was to have a common asylum system in place by 2012 at the latest. “A common system will not create an in-draught but will allow a just, strict system for taking in those who need protection”, he said. The Swedish minister responsible for migration and asylum policy, Tobias Billström, welcomed the “broad consensus” on the need to step up practical cooperation, for example through the European Asylum Support Office which, once in place, will facilitate closing the gap between member state practices. “We must abide by the principle of taking in asylum seekers in the fairest possible way, ensuring that their requests are examined according to the same criteria irrespective of the EU country in which they arrive”, he also explained. “We must show solidarity towards the countries most affected”, he said, calling for the burden to be shared between member states and for development of a resettlement strategy for those benefiting from international protection. In this context, the Commission will create a pilot project in Malta between end September and early October. A mission recently left for the island in order to assess the situation. “Between 1500 and 2000 people are likely to be the subject of resettlement in other member states”, a European source has said, stressing: “But not all will be resettled as this will depend on the resolve of member states acting on a voluntary basis”. Member states will have the summer in which to reflect and, after the summer break, the Commission will ask who is ready to take part in the project. In the event of a positive answer, “a financial effort” will be made to help the countries that agree to resettle refugees on their territory, Mr Barrot said. “Their number remains acceptable if Europe remains united”, he added. Speaking on behalf of France, Immigration Minister Eric Besson announced that, in 2010, his country would again take in refugees arriving in Malta, expressing the hope that such solidarity would be “extended at European level”. Paris has taken in 92 migrants who arrived in Malta where they were granted legal protection because of the risks entailed in their own country. “But one should not give the impression that such transfers of solidarity will mean first entry countries can become more lax, as some countries believe”, Mr Besson stressed. This concern was expressed by Austrian Minister Maria Theresia Fekter, in particular. Encouraging signals have nonetheless come from Germany, which generally has cold feet about taking in southern refugees onto its territory. On the subject of burden-sharing, as requested by Malta, Italy, Cyprus and Greece, the German home minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, said: “The road is long. The EU must take things one step at a time if consensus is to be reached”. He pointed out yet again that his country had shouldered its share of the burden in the past by taking in refugees from the Balkans in the 90s, and by recently proposing to host Iraqi refugees. “That should be respected”, he said, nonetheless going on to add: “If we are not ready to organise solidarity, then the Dublin system will fall apart”, and “if Dublin collapses, then common asylum and immigration policy would be deprived of its base”.
Negotiations with Libya and Turkey kick-off. In order to effectively manage migratory flows, “there must be increasing cooperation with the countries of origin and transit”, Commissioner Barrot said. “This means two issues must be resolved: relations with Turkey, whose cooperation is essential for combating illegal immigration, and relations with Libya”. He went on to say that, with regard to the Libyans, “it is clear that, when they want, they have ways to stop illegal immigration”. Mr Barrot hoped talks would begin with Libya to “study conditions allowing those who aspire to international protection in Europe to do so from Libya”. In reality, the European Commission recently began talks with Tripoli with a view to concluding an agreement on immigration and asylum. “Although normally unforeseeable, negotiations with Libyan authorities have begun well, although it is still too early to say whether we shall reach agreement”, a European source said, on the sidelines of the informal ministerial meeting.
A first round of discussion has already been held and a delegation of senior officials is expected to go to Libya in September to prepare Immigration Commissioner Jacques Barrot's visit, likely to be in October. For now, the Commission has suggested funding of €20 million for Libya and, if talks are successful, this allocation could climb to €60 million in total, a European source states. Libya, for its part, was calling for €200 to 300 million, a sum that Commissioner Barrot found “enormous”. Negotiations strictly speaking bear respectively on making Libyan borders secure (without Frontex, as Libya does not want it), especially the southern borders, and on shortening the time it takes to process visa requests by Libyan diplomatic passport holders, as well as on asylum. On this last point the Commission would like to be able to open up points on Libyan territory where asylum requests may be registered. Mr Barrot had recently suggested that the embassies of EU countries might be able to grant humanitarian visas to applicants. The commissioner also said that he wanted to use as a basis the fact that Libya had signed the 1969 pan-African Convention on the protection of refugees for finding a compromise on this subject. “I shall try to make this visit with the UN High Commissioner” for refugees (HCR), Antonio Guterres, Mr Barrot said on the subject of his forthcoming visit to Libya. “I know that his administration is not very keen on it, bur he understands the problems”, he said. “While the exchanges between Mr Barrot and High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres on the situation in Libya are constructive, there is at present no concrete plan for Mr Guterres to accompany Mr Barrot to Libya”, the HCR said. The United Nations agency for refugees complained to the Italian government at the beginning of the week following “worrying” allegations whereby illegal immigrants intercepted in the Mediterranean and now being held in detention centres in Libya, have suffered mistreatment at the hands of the Italian Navy. The Italian authorities reacted strongly to such allegations. On Turkey this time, Commissioner Barrot has announced his intention to go to Ankara towards the month of October. “We must make this visit a test of Turkey's will to cooperate with the EU”, Mr Besson said. After his meeting in Stockholm with the Turkish minister, Mr Barrot gave way to optimism, saying: “The minister did not rule out a re-entry agreement - far from it”. Talks with Turkey, which should resume after the summer break, also cover border surveillance with Frontex. Turkey calls on the Union to conclude re-entry agreements with Pakistan and Afghanistan. More generally, on the subject of relations with third countries when it comes to migration, ministers wished to send a “very powerful signal” concerning the link between migration and development policy, Tobias Billström said. “Such issues of migration must now be an integral part of EU foreign policy”, Mr Barrot asserted, adding: “Unless we manage to link migration, development and diplomacy, we shall not succeed”.
Silence on subject of returns (“refoulement”). When questioned by the press on the subject of “refoulement” cases by Italy of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean from Libya, Commissioner Barrot said he had put questions to the Italian government in a letter. During the informal meeting, the commissioner and Italy's home minister, Roberto Maroni, also discussed the matter. “The discussion I had with Mr Maroni reassured me that there was no reason today for such 'refoulement' operations as there are far fewer illegal migrants” making the crossing, Mr Barrot said. But will such a statement put an end to the accusations against Italy by organisations for the defence of migrants? The principle of non-return, or non-refoulement, is a key principle in international law on refugees, which stipulates that under no circumstances may a state send refugees back to a country where the life or freedom of those migrants may be threatened. By repelling potential refugees to Libya “Italy clearly violated this principle of no return (non-refoulement)”, a European source states. In a letter to Italy, the Commission set the record straight legally, setting out guidelines to be respected when migrants are intercepted at sea. No answer was forthcoming from Italy. At any rate, the re-entry agreement signed between Italy and Libya seems to be working, which does not displease countries such as Italy and Malta where migrant flows to their coasts have reached record levels, some diplomats say. In 2008, over 67,000 people crossed the Mediterranean to enter Europe.
Strengthening Frontex. “All member states want to strengthen Frontex”, Mr Barrot was pleased to point out during the press conference. This agency must increasingly act together with third countries, including with Turkey with which Frontex has a working group up and running. During the meeting, the director of the agency, Ilkka Laitinen, told ministers that means made available by member states had reached their limits and that, under these circumstances, the question of giving Frontex its own means was raised. This proposal, although considered tricky and which appears in the measures recommended by the Commission in its draft Stockholm programme, has not received any reaction from ministers. (B.C./transl.jl)