The Prime Minister, António Costa, will debate this Friday with his counterparts from eight other Mediterranean and southern countries of the European Union (EU), in Malta, the new community rules on migration, after progress towards a new common migration pact .
The Summit of the Southern Countries of the European Union (MED9), which, in addition to Portugal, includes heads of government and state from Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Malta, Italy, Slovenia and Spain, is being held today in Valletta, the Maltese capital, at a time of migratory pressure and in which Rome insists on a common and coherent position to better manage migration.
Italy is, in fact, one of the countries that remains most reluctant when it comes to the EU’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum, after Germany backtracked on Thursday and said it would vote in favor of the compromise proposal. on crisis regulation. the piece that remains to be approved to complete the reform of community regulations on migration.
The file has now passed to the representatives of the Member States within the EU, with the aim of reaching a final agreement before the European elections in June 2024, to equitably share responsibilities between the Member States and act in solidarity with when addressing migratory flows.
In view of what was previously proposed, the text now being debated eliminates solidarity fees for the relocation of irregular immigrants, providing for different forms of financial compensation.
This will be one of the topics that will mark the MED9 summit.
The meeting comes after, in the middle of this month, more than 10,000 migrants arrived in just three days on the Italian island of Lampedusa, which once again highlighted the migration debate in the EU.
At the time, the European Commission announced an action plan to address irregular immigration in Lampedusa, which includes strengthening support for Italy, as well as implementing the memorandum of understanding signed between the EU and Tunisia.
Tunisia is one of the main exit points for irregular migrants to Europe via the eastern Mediterranean route and signed, in July, a memorandum of understanding with the EU (in which Italy was a key actor) to combat migrant trafficking through change of funds for the country, of at least 700 million euros in EU funds.
The central Mediterranean route is used by migrants and asylum seekers to reach the EU from North Africa to European territory, such as Malta and the Italian regions of Lampedusa, Calabria and Sicily.
Created in 2013, the MED9 alliance brings together nine Member States that are part of the Mediterranean basin, the euro and the Schengen area (with the exception of Cyprus).
Source: TSF
