Tag: illegal immigration

Taking lessons from Denmark’s temporary re-imposition of border checks, the EU would do well to intensify its efforts to streamline border practices towards a more coherent EU-wide approach, argues Peter Hobbing of the Centre for European Policy Studies.

Italy quarrelled with other European Union governments yesterday (11 April) over how to handle thousands of migrants fleeing violence in North Africa, while the EU executive urged the bloc to do more for the refugees.

Paris and Rome are playing "ping-pong" with thousands of immigrants who travel by boat from the North African coast to the Italian island of Lampedusa, after which most of them try to reach France, the press in the two countries reports.

Italy faced criticism in the European Union on Thursday (24 February) for raising the alarm about a potential wave of refugees from Libya, with several governments saying Rome's calls for help in dealing with migrants were exaggerated.

The European Commission said yesterday (13 February) that it would help Rome to cope with the "exceptional pressure" created by thousands of illegal immigrants fleeing Tunisia for the Italian island of Lampedusa. Malta expressed fear that it would also become a landing point.

A European Commission spokesperson sought yesterday (3 January) to downplay a reported plan by Greece to build a fence or a wall along its border with Turkey.

A team of EU border officials is being sent to help Greece deal with an increase in the number of immigrants crossing its frontier from Turkey, the European Commission said on Sunday (24 October).

EU leaders have for the first time asked for the creation of joint charter flights to deport illegal immigrants. These flights would be financed by Frontex, the European agency in charge of the EU's external borders.

The European Union will issue new immigration policy proposals by the end of October, Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said yesterday (23 August), responding to Italy's plea for more coordinated EU action.

The EU's justice commissioner on 2 July described illegal immigration via Turkey a risk to Greek democracy and called again on Ankara to do more to combat people-traffickers.

Dwarfed by the financial crisis, the issue of immigration has momentarily slipped to the back of political debate, meaning that the adoption later today (15 October) of a European Pact on Immigration and Asylum by EU leaders – meant to be one of the highlights of the French EU Presidency – risks going unnoticed.

Faced with an ever-increasing flow of immigrants towards its borders, the EU has adopted a directive that defines procedures for the return of illegally resident third-country nationals. But the EU initiative received bad publicity in Latin America after being labelled the 'Directive of Shame'.

A determined Nicolas Sarkozy outshone his critics during the debate that followed his presentation of the French Presidency's priorities in the European Parliament on 10 July. In a skilled address, the French President accused those EU leaders who are reluctant to proceed with the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty of "cowardice". 

Spain has forced France to abandon its plans for a compulsory "integration contract" for immigrants, which, if adopted, would require third country nationals to conform with the local "national identity" in order to settle in the EU, diplomatic sources told EurActiv.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has backtracked over a controversial bill that would make illegal immigration a criminal offence following heavy criticism from the United Nations, the Vatican and within the European Parliament.

On 26 September, the European Parliament backed plans for a new EU 'Blue Card' for highly qualified migrant workers as part of a strategy for dealing with legal and illegal migration, and urged the European Commission and Council to further regulate the EU's border-security service, Frontex. Migration can "enrich and energise" the Union, MEPs declared.

A better understanding of the links between migration and development is required to implement coherent and effective migration policies, outlines the OECD in its report, 'International Migration Outlook'. The study shows that international migration continues to grow, in response to labour needs.

Under plans drafted by Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini, member states will be required to increase from 2-10% the companies that are inspected annually for the employment of illegal immigrants, in a move that reflects concerns about the immigrants' welfare and the stream of around 300,000 foreigners entering Europe's shadow economy every year.

Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini told justice ministers in Dresden that he will begin negotiations with countries such as Mali, Mauritania and Senegal to establish legal networks for immigration.

Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini has announced plans to attract skilled labour from Africa while boosting efforts to fight illegal immigration.

On 13 November 2006, the Council gave the go-ahead for visa facilitation and re-admission mandates for the Western Balkans.

The justice and home affairs council in Luxembourg on 5-6 October endorsed a proposal to establish permanent joint patrols to pick up migrants on the high seas.

The backlash against migration makes no sense, two commentators from opposite sides of the political spectrum in British newspapers argue. 

Ministers from 30 European and 27 African nations are meeting in Rabat, Morocco, to address the issue of illegal migration. A plan of action is expected to come out of the meeting. check