Legislation: three principles

In 2006 the Eu continued developing a better-coordinated asylum and immigration policy. In particular, three principles were pinpointed: solidarity among the member states; partnerships with third countries; protection of migrants, especially the more vulnerable groups, such as lone children and women. ENGAGEMENTS TO AFRICA . However, 2006 has been the year in which engagements with the African partners have been outlined. A ministerial conference was held in Rabat last July about migration and development which brought together about 60 countries located along the migratory routes of Western and Central Africa. In September, the African partners and the EU member states took part in the UN top talks on migration and development. In addition, a EU-Africa ministerial conference about migration and development was launched in Libya in November to enable the European Union and the African partners, gathered all together for the very first time, to develop a common approach to migration. In this respect, the ministerial conference set out cooperation as a priority and adopted an ambitious declaration, which opens the way to a joint Euro-African policy on a continental, regional and national scale in several areas. The results should be illustrated at the second ministerial conference due in three years’ time. A FEW MEASURES FOR 2007 . The events of 2006 and the progress made in the implementation of the global approach proved that migration must be tackled globally and that the existing measures must be improved. These are the conclusions reached by the European Council of 14th and 15th December 2006, which placed emphasis on the importance of migration for the EU and the member states. The European Council thus outlined a few measures to be taken in 2007: a) strengthen and extend international cooperation and dialogue with the third countries of origin and transit in a global, well-balanced manner; b) strengthen cooperation among the member states in the fight against illegal immigration, pursuant to the Commission notice of 30th November 2006 (Notice – 2006 – 735 final draft) about political priorities. In particular, measures against illegal labour must be strengthened within the member states and the EU (the European Council invites the Commission to submit proposals by April 2007); existing or new technological resources must be made full use of to improve border checks and for a proper identification of people; as to this, the Commission was invited to report by late 2007 about how to improve checks on entrance and the development of a general, automated entrance/exit system. This will have to adhere to privacy laws. Finally, the Commission was invited to consider the possibility to develop European solidarity policies in the areas of immigration, border checks and asylum, based on the current policy; c) improve control of non-EU borders, in accordance with the integrated border control strategy adopted by the Council in 2006; d) as to legal migration, develop well-managed migratory policies which fully adhere to the national regulations to help the member states fulfil the current and future labour requirements while also boosting the sustainable development of all countries; e) promote integration and intercultural dialogue and fight all forms of discrimination within the EU and the member states; f) accomplish the common European asylum system by late 2010, by starting the preliminary assessment of its first step in 2007; g) provide appropriate resources for implementing the global migratory policy by making full use of the substantial funds that will be available. MEASURES APPROVED OR UNDER EXAMINATION . The proposal to create a European Fund, endowed with 676 million euros for 2008-2013, in order to help the member states to better manage the return of illegal immigrants to their native countries (soon to be examined by the European Parliament). The adoption of the decision of the EU Council (5/10/06), which sets up a mechanism for mutual information about the measures taken by the member states for asylum and immigration. The adoption by the EU Council (sessions of 27th and 28th April 2006, Justice and Internal Affairs session) of some urgent conclusions about the trade of human beings.