France dupes the EU

Following widespread criticism of France's deportation of Roma groups, an international ministerial conference on asylum and illegal immigration will take place in Paris on September 6. The meeting undermines the EU's migration policy, writes the daily Die Presse: "This is not only a symbolic slap in the face for the efforts by Brussels to coordinate immigration policy at an EU-wide level. Coming as it does from one of the most powerful EU members, it also opens the way for questioning one of the most basic principles of the EU: the freedom of EU citizens to reside where they please within the Union. Despite all that can be said in criticism of Brussels - including in relation to the failed integration of the Roma - nations cannot find a solution to migration policy single-handedly. It would be good for other EU states, for example the Belgian EU presidency, to remind the French of this, for example by not attending the Paris summit."

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