FRANCE:EU STATES should expel more illegal immigrants, harmonise their asylum policies and co-ordinate how they integrate migrants into their societies, writes Jamie Smyth.
They should also work with the African, Asian and Latin American states, where most illegal immigrants come from, to stem the flow of immigration.
These are some of the key proposals in a new immigration and asylum pact that the French presidency of the EU will present to justice and interior ministers from across the Union later today at a meeting in Cannes, France.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy has pinpointed immigration as one of the key priorities of his country's six-month presidency of the Union. He is proposing that all 27 EU states sign up to the new pact in October in an effort to stem the flow of the estimated two million migrants into the Union every year and provide a co-ordinated and coherent response to immigration.
The draft pact, which has been seen by The Irish Times, states that the EU does not have the resources to decently receive "all who see Europe as an El Dorado".
It also warns that poorly managed immigration may disrupt the social cohesion of host countries.
"The organisation of immigration must consequently take account of Europe's reception capacity in terms of its labour market, housing and health, education and social services and protect migrants against possible exploitation by criminal networks," it says.
Last week French immigration minister Brice Hortefeux, who has been working on the details of the pact, said concerns about immigration were one of the reasons why Irish voters had rejected the Lisbon treaty last month.
However, a survey by the European Commission found just 1 per cent of Irish voters cited immigration as the most important reason for voting no.
EU leaders have already pledged to harmonise asylum policies by 2010 and co-ordinate their immigration policies at several EU summits. However national sensitivities and different experiences of migration in the Union mean that many EU states treat asylum seekers and immigrants in very different ways.
For example, in 2005, Spain "regularised" about 700,000 illegal immigrants, a decision that sparked major recriminations from its neighbour France.
The pact explicitly says that one EU state's actions may affect the interests of the others. "Access to the territory of one member state gives access to all," says the pact, which asks states to avoid general unconditional regularisation.
Overall, the pact sets five main priorities for EU states.
They are: organising legal immigration to take into account the needs and reception capacities of each state; encouraging the integration of immigrants; controlling irregular immigration through effective expulsion policies; better protecting the EU's borders; closer co-ordination of asylum policies, and building partnerships between EU states and the countries of origin and transit of immigrants.
Diplomats expect that EU justice and interior ministers will have few qualms about signing the pact as several of the most contentious issues have been deleted from the text or watered down.
For example, an earlier draft of the pact called on states to agree to "integration contracts", which would oblige migrants to learn the official language and culture of a host state. The pact now only "invites" member states to establish ambitious policies to promote the harmonious integration of immigrants in their host countries.
Nevertheless, tougher measures in the pact calling for the expulsion of more illegal immigrants could increase existing tensions with some countries of origin.
For example, Latin American leaders have widely criticised a new EU law that allows authorities to detail illegal immigrants for up to 18 months.
Meanwhile, the Government signalled yesterday that it was favourably disposed to the pact even though it has opted out of large swathes of EU immigration law.
A spokesman for Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said Ireland agreed with most aspects of the pact and could envisage signing up to it.
Until now Ireland and Britain have tended to opt put of common immigration and asylum measures in favour of co-ordinating their own measures to preserve the common travel area between Britain and Ireland.
Protecting Europe: main points
Legal immigration and integrating migrants: EU states should target highly skilled migrants and regulate migration to match a state's reception capacity. Ambitious integration policies should be introduced.
Controlling irregular immigration: Illegal immigrants should be repatriated more often if they do not leave of their own accord. EU states should refrain from "general unconditional regularisation" of immigrants.
Protecting borders: Move to biometric visas only from 2012 and towards a joint EU consular service for issuing of visas.
Co-ordination of asylum policies: Invite the commission to propose a single EU asylum procedure in 2012 and create an office to allow the exchange of information between EU states on asylum procedures.
Partnerships with countries of origin and transit: Conclude EU-level or bilateral agreements to enable readmission of illegal immigrants and possibilities for legal migration.