Immigration: France favors EU accord with transit countries

Dominique de Villepin on 5 December 2006 called the fifth meeting of the Interministerial Committee on Immigration Control. The committee voted the third annual report to Parliament on the Government's immigration policy. Prime Minister de Villepin set forth the future guidelines for the policy.

For the past two years, legal immigration rates have remained steady at around 200,000 people per year. At the same time, the number of asylum requests has eased, decreasing 40% during the first 10 months of 2006. The number of people granted refugee status increased to 13,000 in 2005 from 11,000 in 2004.

With regard to illegal immigration, the number of illegal immigrants deported doubled in the space of three years. The Government has set a 2006 target of 25,000 people, up from 20,000 in 2005.

Prime Minister de Villepin expressed two hopes for the future: First of all, that the recording of biometric data for all visa applicants be extended to 40 additional consulates in 2007 and, secondly, that a plan to fight identity theft be rolled out.

Towards a common EU asylum regime by 2010
As part of the EU's asylum and immigration policy, the Government plans to support the ramping up of the Frontex border security agency, among other measures. Frontex's role is to support EU member states in managing the bloc's outside borders.

Another Government priority is to build an agreement between the EU, countries of origin and transit countries. The accord would concern migration and co-development. For the Government, the issue of migration must be 'systematically included in the framework partnership documents negotiated and signed with each partner country'.

By premier-ministre.gouv.fr