France Bolsters Border Controls as ‘Migration Crisis’ Heats Up
France increased security on its borders amid a “Mediterranean migration crisis” and will continue to send back arrivals who don’t meet admission requirements, the interior minister said.
Additional national security agents have been deployed to support local border police in response to the “real pressure” on France’s borders, Claude Gueant said today at a meeting of European Union interior ministers in Luxembourg. “We’ll use all legal means to ensure that the Schengen convention is respected.”
Gueant’s comments came after Italy began last week to issue temporary residence permits to arrivals from North Africa, which Italy says allow them to travel to France and other European countries. “Italy is entitled to do so, of course,” EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem said today in Luxembourg.
More than 25,000 immigrants have arrived in Italy after fleeing North Africa this year, prompting Italy to establish temporary camps across the country. Most of the arrivals are from Tunisia, where border controls are lacking after its government was overthrown in January.
The EU’s Schengen treaty on borders and movement between member states allows France to refuse entry to anyone without a valid passport and sufficient funds to return home after his stay, Gueant said. “This is what we’re going to do, of course.”
‘Massive Influx’
The ministers in Luxembourg “discussed in depth” the possibility of activating a temporary protection mechanism to impose stricter immigration standards in times of a “massive influx,” Malmstroem said. While acknowledging that “there is huge pressure on Italy,” she said it would be “premature” to impose stronger measures now.
“We are not ready yet to launch that mechanism,” Malmstroem said.
French authorities have intercepted 2,800 Tunisians trying to enter from Italy in the last month, Gueant said. Of these, 1,700 were returned to Italy and almost 200 directly to Tunisia. Repatriation of the remaining Tunisians was in process, he said.
“Italy has been left alone,” Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni told reporters today in Luxembourg. “I wonder if it makes sense to continue to be part of the European Union in this situation.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Patrick Henry in Brussels at phenry8@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Craig Stirling at cstirling1@bloomberg.net
Rate this Page