Frattini calls for EU patrol fleets

Franco Frattini has called on the EU member states to deliver on promises to supply boats and helicopters for the new border patrol fleet.

“I want to make a political appeal to ministers: we have on paper promises of boats and helicopters – now we need to see them,” the EU justice and home affairs commissioner said on 6 June.

Frattini told reporters that Frontex, the new EU border agency, has received formal guarantees by 20 member states for 115 boats, 25 helicopters and 23 planes – but that only about one tenth of this fleet has been delivered so far.

The fleet is required for Frontex summer patrols which are due to be launched on 20 June in order to monitor the Mediterranean and deter would-be illegal immigrants.

“It is now absolutely necessary to provide Frontex with operational means,” the commissioner said.

Frattini was talking at the launch of a “asylum package” which is intended to trigger debate on the EU’s system for dealing with asylum seekers and refugees.

The commission says 182,000 people sought refuge in EU in 2006, and wants EU countries to consider creating a single procedure for assessing asylum applications as well as improving protection levels for refugees.

“The Common European System must offer more protection to those who genuinely need it, and at the same time prevent ‘asylum shopping’ by showing solidarity and offering the same protection across the EU,” Frattini said.

The commissioner also wants to introduce the concept of “burden-sharing” so that asylum seekers are distributed more fairly across Europe and countries that are under heavy pressure from asylum seekers, such as Malta and Cyprus, can receive financial help from other countries.

The package was applauded by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles.

“It is good to see refugee protection and human rights back on the EU agenda, which for too long has been dominated by the fight against irregular migration,” said the ECRC’s EU representative Richard Williams.

Frattini will issue a “policy plan” in the first quarter of 2008 to set out the way ahead based on the results of the consultation.

“My ambition is that by the end of my term [in 2009], I would like to see a European asylum policy adopted by the council and parliament,” he said.

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