Irregular immigration was one of the most important topics discussed by foreign ministers from eight EU Mediterranean member states that form part of the southern European border, during a two-day informal meeting held in Malta.

During a media conference yesterday afternoon, Foreign Minister Michael Frendo said this was the third of a series of informal meetings held among EU Mediterranean member states.

Such meetings provide a platform for foreign ministers to discuss common issues in a less formal atmosphere than other meetings held in Brussels. Ministers are brought together in a way that “our closeness with each other can help us address common issues”, said Dr Frendo.

He said the ministers have agreed on the need to ensure that the issue of irregular immigration remains an area of special focus in the EU.

“In particular, our discussion illustrated how this issue affects all southern European member states and that increased sea and land border controls are of importance to us all,” explained Dr Frendo.

As has already been stated previously, Dr Frendo again highlighted the fact that the foreign ministers who participated in this meeting have also agreed on the need for Frontex joint patrolling exercises to be initiated well before the beginning of this year’s summer period.

Dr Frendo stressed that the Mediterranean foreign ministers discussed this matter as a problem of Europe as a whole, pointing out the need for more cooperation, burden-sharing and solidarity throughout the EU.

He added that the ministers agreed there is a lot more to be done in this regard. “The approach should not only be one of policing, but we also need to take other matters into consideration. We need to tackle the problem at its roots – criminal arrangements in countries of origin of immigrants, protection of refugees and others with humanitarian status – but the important thing is to stem the flow of irregular immigration,” said Dr Frendo.

He explained that the debate this year will focus on the Frontex system, as well as having a better system to be able to make use of any valuable documents immigrants may have, which may be used for their repatriation.

Other issues discussed during the two-day meeting with foreign ministers included the Middle East, the EU neighbouring policy, energy and climate change and the future of Europe.

Dr Frendo said that when discussing the neighbouring policy, the ministers gave particular importance to enhancing relations with the EU’s Mediterranean partners, mindful of the need to preserve the policy based on agreed criteria.

In this regard, the ministers emphasised the need to improve visa mechanisms as an essential tool for an effective neighbouring policy. A meeting between officials will be hosted in Spain in a bid to coordinate efforts with regard to the policy.

The situation in the Middle East was analysed during the meeting and the need to re-invigorate the Quartet (made up of the UN, US, EU and Russia) was agreed upon. Dr Frendo said they agreed on the need to make it more dynamic and responsive to crisis situations, and facilitating final status engagement between Israelis and Palestinians.

“It is always important that initiatives are spearheaded by countries that have some influence in the Middle East and the Quartet can be a very good forum and an excellent mechanism in the Israel-Palestine process,” he said.

Dr Frendo also mentioned one of Malta’s initiatives, that of having a more visible, structured and engaged format of the dialogue between the EU and the Arab League. This suggestion was received positively and Malta has been encouraged to pursue the matter with the German Presidency.

Energy and climate change were discussed for the first time in the context of such informal meetings between ministers from EU Mediterranean member states.

Dr Frendo said they discussed the European strategy for sustainable, competitive and secure energy, highlighting the need to diversify energy sources.

“We feel the EU should give important consideration to the enhancement of its relations with its southern partners. Diversification of sources also means that the littoral states facing North Aftica and the Middle East should be taken into consideration, since this is a producing region with immense potential,” explained the Maltese foreign minister.

The ministers also agreed to have Romania and Bulgaria join the informal group. The respective ministers will participate in the next meeting that will be held in Slovenia in July, when the ministers will be focusing particularly on the future of Europe.