The tragedy of irregular immigration is a human tragedy that is happening right on our doorstep. The Mediterranean Sea is literally becoming a burial site for the thousands of people who try to escape from the despair and distress of their countries. At the same time, a small island like Malta has been experiencing a heavy influx of irregular immigration since 2004. I strongly believe that the issue of irregular immigration is a reality that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. 

In the past week, the situation of irregular immigrants has topped the EU agenda after the Mediterranean Sea was once again the site of yet more tragedies that occurred in the stretch of sea between Malta and Lampedusa. This led to a string of statements by EU politicians on the need to step up Europe’s effort to prevent these tragedies from happening and to show solidarity. However, the countries that are directly impacted, including Malta, naturally ask why the EU had done very little over the past years and simply waited for yet another tragedy to happen. We have all had enough of empty talk. The time has come for translating words into action, particularly at EU level. Reading messages of condolences and statements of solidarity will not get us a long way in addressing the issues faced by the increasing migratory flows some EU countries are facing.

The truth is that Malta is facing a new exodus of immigrants from North Africa and the Arab world. The immigration we are experiencing is not due to economic reasons alone but is the result of humanitarian reasons and asylum issues.  That is why EU support is required, and it is required urgently.

I believe that Malta is facing disproportionate pressures it can barely cope with. According to statistics of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for 2012, Malta received the largest number of asylum applications among the 44 industrialised countries covered by the report, with 4.9 applications per 1,000 inhabitants. In the EU, the average number of asylum applications stands at 0.6 application per 1,000 inhabitants. This means that on average Malta is processing eight times as much applications as the EU average. What makes matters worse is the fact that the vast majority of asylum seekers arriving on our shores originate from conflict zones such as Somalia, Syria and Eritrea, which makes returns to these countries of origin practically impossible. This means that Malta has one of the highest rates of international protection in the EU (the positive asylum decision rate was over 90 per cent in 2012).

The challenge Malta is facing in this regard is one that needs to be addressed as an EU issue. EU support is required and such assistance cannot be limited to financial aid alone; it must also be effective in a manner that actually leads to tangible results. The prospect of completing and processing asylum applications for Europe from abroad can be one option and should be seriously considered. Such possibility can prevent immigrants from attempting the dangerous irregular trip across the Mediterranean.

Malta and other south European countries including Italy, Greece and Spain are demanding that the EU shares the immigration burden reaching our shores. However, such demands have been rejected on the basis of lack of political consensus. Since the EU is based on solidarity, it is only reasonable that the Maltese people expect the European Commission and the member states to show this solidarity in concrete terms. Relocation is viewed as one of the most tangible forms of solidarity, which provides immediate relief in situations of particular pressure. Yet this is not the only solution. There are other instruments and actions which should be explored such as joint processing of applications, concrete actions in the countries of origin, and providing assistance aimed at strengthening border control of the countries of departure (such as Libya) and assisting/facilitating returns. 

I firmly believe that solidarity should not be limited only to cases of financial crisis where some member states had to be bailed out, but it should be extended to instances of humanitarian crisis. Just as Malta did its part when contributing financially to the bailout of banks in other member states, it is expected that other member states do their part to help Malta and other southern European countries.

Addressing the countries from which most migrants originate, as did Prime Minister Joseph Muscat when he recently met with Somali government officials, is a step in the right direction. This meeting happens at an appropriate moment, since the political situation in Somalia seems to be improving. Strengthening relations with the governments of countries of origin can go a long way in helping Malta to return a large number of people to these countries. Returns to such countries can only be achieved if strong diplomatic relations exist between the countries involved. The EU should facilitate such contacts and make its own efforts in the same direction by strengthening diplomatic relations with the authorities in the countries of origin and by assisting/facilitating the returns procedure. In many cases there are legal obligations on the countries of origin to accept returns. Indeed, for example, the Cotonou Agreement (an agreement between the EU and 79 countries from the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States) includes a clause on readmission.  

On 12 June of this year, the European Parliament adopted the remaining legislative pieces of the ‘asylum package’ that encompass the recast Asylum Procedures and Reception directives and the Dublin and Eurodac Regulations. This package lays down common procedures and deadlines for handling asylum applications and basic rights for asylum seekers arriving in the EU. However, the package provides little in terms of solidarity. This means that the Common European Asylum System will provide little help to Malta in coping with irregular immigration. It is no use having a Common European Asylum System in place if such system is not accompanied by concrete solidarity within the EU itself in order to assist individual member states as well as beneficiaries of international protection.

It is agreed by most that Malta is feeling left alone to deal with the situation of irregular immigration. That’s why action is required particularly since the EU response so far has been scant and of no particular help for Malta. The need for solidarity and fair responsibility sharing should be recognised within the EU and the proper mechanism should be in place to address such a crisis in a truly effective manner.

Miriam Dalli is a Labour Party candidate in the European Parliament elections