Plan to send home any EU rejected asylum seekers
Europe today launched a new multi-nation crackdown on illegal immigration at the end of the EU Summit in Seville.
Britain and France are still discussing how to resolve the problems of the Sangatte refugee camp near the Channel Tunnel entrance, although the Summit deal does not affect the outcome.
Today’s Summit accord puts pressure on developing countries to take back their nationals who have been rejected for asylum in any of the EU countries.
EU leaders asked the European Commission to begin a systematic assessment of EU relations with third countries which do not co-operate in combating illegal immigration.
The Summit conclusions said that, if the EU is unsuccessful in persuading a country to help, the EU ‘‘may unanimously find that a third country has shown an unjustified lack of co-operation in joint management of migration flows’’.
The link with developing aid worried France and Sweden at the Summit with French President Chirac particularly alarmed at the potential impact on its trading relations with former colonies such as Morocco and Algeria - often the origin of illegal immigration.
Today’s initiative is the EU leaders’ response to public concern over illegal immigration as reflected in recent unexpected poll successes for far-right political parties in Europe.
The immigration package of measures also includes a new bid to pin responsibility for dealing with genuine asylum seekers on the EU country of entry.
Under the terms of the deal asylum seekers would only be able to make one asylum claim in the EU, and accept that the result of the asylum application applies in all 15 countries.
The Summit inevitably raised the continuing Middle East crisis, with EU leaders backing an international conference. The Summit declaration said it should address political as well as security and economic aspects of the dispute.
’’The European Council (Summit) strongly condemns all terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians. The peace process and the stability of the region cannot be hostage to terrorism. The fight against terrorism must go on, but so at the same time must the negotiation of a political solution.’’
The objective was the establishment of a democratic, viable, peaceful and sovereign Palestinian state: ‘‘The end result should be two states living side by side within secure and recognised borders enjoying normal relations with their neighbours.’’
The Summit discussions also centred on the unrest between Pakistan and India over Kashmir and the EU leaders called on both countries to establish an effective monitoring system to stop infiltration across the ‘‘Line of Control’’ and to prevent terrorist groups from operating.
The Summit ended with terrorist concerns closer to home - as another Eta bomb-blast highlighted the continuing threat of violent protest within EU borders.
