Commission proposes common EU policy on illegal immigration

The European Commission has adopted a Communication on a common policy on illegal immigration whose aim it is to combat international trafficking with people.

The Communication identifies six priority areas where measures should be taken to prevent and combat illegal immigration:

• visa policy;
• infrastructure for information exchange;
• border management;
• police cooperation;
• aliens law and criminal law;
• return and re-admission policy.

The Communication proposes common EU standards for visa issuance and joint teams for border controls. Other proposals include the establishment of an early warning system on irregular migratory flows and the creation of a European Migration Observatory. The Commission proposes that the role of the EU police agency, the Europol, should be strengthened in the area of fight against illegal immigration.

The Communication also proposes that the EU should look into the possibility of establishing a European Visa Identification System, which would allow exchange of information on issued visas among Member States. The Commission will prepare a feasibility study on this issue.