Former Prime Minister and MEP Alfred Sant told the European Parliament that in the framework of a European policy on legal migration, efforts to exercise vigilance at the frontiers and to regulate the granting of asylum would become more effective. Sant said that unfortunately, there has been least progress in the development of such a common policy on legal migration. Yet this is an area where the call for more Europe makes most sense. Up to now it has been the President of European Parliament Martin Schulz who has given the greatest recognition to such a  priority.

Alfred Sant said there needs to be introduced a common policy regarding legal immigration to the Union, one that satisfies the demands for more workers in certain member states and reflects the different economic requirements of others. Such a policy would be able to channel the demand for economic migration coming from outside the Union and would help to calibrate policies to exercise vigilance at frontiers. It would offer a rational and humane approach to the huge personal problems created by any form  of mass migration.

Alfred Sant said there should be effective vigilance at the Union's frontiers. A lot remains to be done in this field. The countries at the Union's frontiers by themselves are not succeeding to cope with the problems. Meanwhile, the common effort that has been undertaken in this regard is still insufficient.

The Maltese europarliamentarian said we need to have an asylum policy that in its formulation and implementation is comprehensive, up to date and well co-ordinated. Significant steps in this direction have been taken but again, a lot remains to be done especially by way of burden sharing.

Alfred Sant said that in dealing with the movement of people coming to live in Europe, these  factors have to be developed in step with each other if we are to face coherently the challenges that are leading signficant numbers of people to move to our midst. We need too to remain coherent with the values that constitute Europe.