Human-trafficking talks likely to ’cause friction’

Date: 06/06/02

A POLITICAL row is set to break out at next week's meeting of EU interior ministers over how best to tackle illegal immigration and human-trafficking.

The two issues will be top of the agenda in Luxembourg on Thursday (13 June), when ministers are due to discuss several new measures designed to secure the EU's most vulnerable borders against illegal immigrants.

One key proposal would lead to criteria for determining the member state responsible for examining asylum applications lodged by third-country nationals.

Justice and home affairs ministers are also due to discuss ways of combating illegal immigration by sea and the abuse of asylum procedures. They are expected to focus on how to close the notorious asylum staging post at Sangatte in France, which has been the source of numerous dangerous crossings to the UK with stowaways boarding Channel Tunnel trains.

Also on the agenda will be ways to combat people-trafficking.

The discussions come at a time when Far-Right and populist politicians increasingly argue that enlargement will mean porous borders, more crime, more illegal immigration and less security.

A Council of Ministers source said: 'These are sensitive issues and could cause some serious friction among EU member states.'

EU justice and home affairs ministers are due to discuss the issue of illegal immigration at their meeting in Luxembourg, 13 June 2002.