Immigration on the EU agenda

Malta's Minister for Justice and Home Affairs Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici praises France's EU Council presidency in the Times of Malta, writing that France has put the topic of illegal immigration firmly on the EU agenda: "December will mark an end to a European Union presidency that has had significant importance for Malta and the other Mediterranean countries facing, like ourselves, challenges on the illegal immigration front. The French presidency must be commended for putting this item on the agenda of the 27 member states. It gave primary direction for concrete proposals as to how the whole of the EU should deal with all the issues in a coordinated manner. It is a presidency that will be remembered as the one that laid the foundations for a common EU policy for immigration and asylum. ... However, we cannot assume that the inroads that we've made in the past four months are enough. We have to move on in all EU fora to ensure that what has been agreed upon will be implemented in the most favourable timeframe possible so that Malta can derive the maximum benefit."

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