JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS COUNCIL : MINISTERS ADOPT 29 MEASURES TO FIGHT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

At the initiative of France, the EU's home affairs ministers adopted, late on 25 February, "29 measures to boost the protection of external borders and prevent illegal immigration". Most are law enforcement measures, including the organisation of common flights for the return of illegal immigrants, co-financed by Frontex, the agency that coordinates management of the EU's external borders.

The timing of the conclusions could not be better because the European Commission has just adopted a proposal to strengthen the material and human resources available to Frontex. The proposal has to be approved by the Council and the European Parliament. The member states call for greater cooperation between Frontex and third countries of origin and transit "in order to improve the organisation of common land and sea patrols, with the consent of the member state concerned". They would like to see the agency play a role in the return of illegal immigrants and in "the collection and sharing of relevant information" and other preventive measures against illegal channels. Based on French and Italian requests, they wish to develop "common flights" at European level for the return of illegal immigrants, organised and co-financed by Frontex, including the leasing by Frontex of planes for such operations.

The ministers also stress the role of the European Asylum Support Office, the creation of which was confirmed in Valetta, Malta, to "better identify, among persons in mixed flows, those who require international protection" and to "cooperate with...