Ministers agree tighter border controls ahead of Seville Summit, June 2002

EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers have agreed a plan to strengthen border controls and fight illegal immigration. Meeting on 13 June 2002, a week before the Seville European Council, Ministers agreed an External Borders Management Plan which, together with a plan to combat illegal immigration by sea, is said will control immigration into the EU.

The External Borders Management Plan covers five areas:

• A common operational consultation and cooperation mechanism. Proposal: creation of national contact points for border management; creation of a network of immigration liaison officers in international airports in the Member States, in third countries and in Member States' central services; setting-up of rapid response units; establishment of a permanent system for exchanging data and information; creation of a joint expert body on external borders.

• Common integrated risk evaluation. Involves: implementing an International Plan for Airports; introducing a similar risk assessment system for maritime borders.

• Inter-operational equipment and staff. Proposal: Devise common training programmes for border guards; encourage convergence of national policies in respect of police service equipment; create a common network of external border monitoring by radar and satellite.

• A common corpus of legislation. Requirements: recast the Common Manual for External Borders to clarify the legal nature of its various provisions; introduce a practical memorandum for use by border guards.

• Burden-sharing among EU Member States.

Ministers also agreed a Framework Decision to harmonise the definition of terrorism which, according to Spanish Justice Minister Angel Acebes, should be 'punished by the most severe penalties in each of the legal systems'.

Agreement was also reached on establishing joint investigation teams and a Framework Decision on the European Arrest Warrant and Surrender Procedures. The Spanish Justice Minister was quoted as saying that the Euro-warrant 'is the model our judges will use to bring about the arrest of alleged terrorists in any of the Member States and their surrender to the requesting country.'

Agreement was reached in principle to set up a European Corps of Border Guards, comprising joint multinational teams.

In addition, Ministers agreed to introduce economic incentives for third countries which help tackle illegal immigration into the EU. An initiative by the UK and Spain to penalise such 'source' countries was rejected, with French Interior Minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, quoted as saying 'We cannot give out the message that rich countries will punish poor countries'.

Illegal immigration is one of the most contentious issues in the European Union, partly due to the Union's forthcoming enlargement, which will see its external borders shift eastwards, and partly due to recent electoral gains by right-wing parties.

Speaking in early May 2002, European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs, António Vitorino, said:

'The European Union's external borders are still sometimes seen, rightly or wrongly, as the weak link in the chain, affecting the Member States' domestic security, particularly in an area without internal frontiers. And in all the opinion polls concerning the prospect of enlargement, the public are reminding us of the need to preserve or better still raise the level of domestic security in the EU.'

The increasing popularity of right-wing, anti-immigration parties is thought by some observers to be persuading mainstream politicians that they too have to take a strong anti-immigration line. Not all agree, however, with Jan Karlsson, Sweden's Migration and Development Aid Minister, quoted after the meeting as saying 'It should not be xenophobes who set the EU's agenda'.

There is also concern from human rights groups, such as Amnesty International and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, which point out that - while the European Commission believes there may be up to 500,000 illegal immigrants in the EU - immigration into the Union is falling. According to Amnesty,

'In the current climate of fear and suspicion, the balance seems to be swinging even further away to the point where human rights and in particular the right to asylum may be sacrificed for the sake of the further fortification of Europe'.

In a pre-summit letter to EU leaders, another human rights campaigning group, Human Rights Watch told them that 'Addressing illegal immigration requires more than reinforcing border controls. Migrants and refugees are people with fundamental rights who deserve certain protections, whether or not they are entitled to remain in Western Europe.'

Links:

Spanish Presidency:

• JHA Council approves management plan for EU's external borders, as well as harmonisation of offence of terrorism

European Commission: DG Justice and Home Affairs:

• European Council meeting in Sevilla on illegal immigration

Council of the European Union:

• Press Release: Justice and Home Affairs Council [PRES/02/175]

Human Rights Watch:

• Seville Summit: Serious Abuses Against Migrants and Asylum Seekers Detailed
• E.U.: Protect the Rights of Migrants and Asylum Seekers in Seville Policy Proposals. Letter to E.U. Heads of State

Finanical Times:

• 13.06.02: EU backs joint action to stem illegal migrants

BBC News Online:

• 13.06.02: EU ministers agree to fortify borders
• 13.06.02: Blunkett wins backing on asylum
• 31.05.02: UN criticises EU's refugee debate
• 21.05.02: EU signals asylum action
• 30.05.02: EU force to tackle illegal immigration
• 20.05.02: Immigrants 'are political scapegoats'

European Sources Online:

• Topic Guide: Justice and Home Affairs
• In Focus: Asylum, refugees and immigration: a challenge for Europe

Eric Davies
KnowEurope Researcher
Compiled: Friday, 14 June 2002

EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers have agreed a plan to strengthen border controls and fight illegal immigration.