by Ivan Camilleri, Brussels for The Times of Malta, 25th May, 2011
The European Commission yesterday unveiled new plans aimed at better managing migration flows from Africa towards Europe and combating illegal immigration.
Brussels also proposed the introduction of a “safeguard clause” in its visa regime that would enable it to reintroduce restrictions if some states abused of the EU visa waiver.
Announcing the new “long-term” measures, European Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström said the EU would be doing its utmost to conclude “mobility partnerships” with North African countries that would facilitate legal channels of migration. This would be in exchange of obligations concerning the return of illegal migrants trying to enter the EU.
The EU Executive was aiming to establish its first mobility partnerships with Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt, she said.
The proposals are clearly in response to the influx of thousands of economic migrants to Lampedusa from Tunisia over the past weeks.
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