French interior minister calls for less immigration / Council Conclusions on the management of migration from the Southern Neighbourhood

France's Interior Minister Claude Guéant asked the government to reduce the number of people entering France through work, family reunification and other visas, April 2011.

France also stepped up its efforts to block north African migrants from entering its territory from Italy in April 2011. Italy was seeking help from other European Union countries to spread the burden following a surge in arrivals in the spring of 2011.

On the 8 April 2011 Italy and France agreed to launch joint patrols off the Tunisian coast to stop migrants heading to Europe.

At a meeting of European Union interior ministers in Luxembourg on the 11 April 2011, few EU member states rushed to support Italian plans to issue temporary travel visas to thousands of migrants fleeing unrest in North Africa.

EUObserver, 13.4.11: Barroso to Tunisia: More money if you take your migrants back http://euobserver.com/9/32169

ESO: Background information: Sarkozy joins multiculturalism attack http://www.europeansources.info/record/sarkozy-joins-multiculturalism-attack/

ESO: Background information: French probation plan for citizens http://www.europeansources.info/record/french-probation-plan-for-citizens/

Libération, 12.4.11: Italy talks up its immigrant burden (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/595791-italy-talks-its-immigrant-burden

EurActiv, 8.4.11: France prepares to shut down border with Italy http://www.euractiv.com/global-europe/france-prepares-shut-border-ital-news-503909

EUObserver, 11.4.11: Italian minister questions value of EU membership http://euobserver.com/9/32155

EurActiv, 12.4.11: EU seasick with African boat people http://www.euractiv.com/en/global-europe/eu-seasick-african-boat-people-news-503983

ESO: Background information: Migrant boat sinks off Italian island http://www.europeansources.info/record/migrant-boat-sinks-off-italian-island/

EUObserver, 11.4.11: EU border agency keen to send back more Tunisians http://euobserver.com/9/32150

Spiegel Online International, 15.4.11: African Refugees Stuck in Limbo on the French-Italian Border http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,757089,00.html

Spiegel Online International, 12.4.11: 'North Africa Needs a Marshall Plan' http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,756596,00.html

La Stampa, 8.4.11: Standoff on migrants sours further (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief-cover/590411-standoff-migrants-sours-further

France24, 8.4.11: France and Italy seek to diffuse diplomatic spat http://www.france24.com/en/20110408-france-italy-join-patrol-block-tunisian-migrants-immigration-lampedusa

Deutsche Welle, 8.4.11: Italy and France agree on patrols to stop Tunisian migrants http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6498428,00.html

Spiegel Online International, 8.4.11: Italy Seeks to Pass Problem on to EU Partners (via PressEurop) http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,755858,00.html

Die Welt, 11.4.11: Berlin unwilling to accept refugees (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief-cover/592971-berlin-unwilling-accept-refugees

Deutsche Welle, 11.4.11: Tunisian migrant issue dominates EU interior minister talks http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14981095,00.html

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 11.4.11: Council Conclusions on the management of migration from the Southern Neighbourhood http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/jha/121479.pdf

---