Prime Minister Janez Jansa believes the EU could tackle immigration more efficiently if it adopted a common policy on the issue. Migration, just like energy, will constantly crop up at the sessions of the EU Council, the Slovenian prime minister said after the close of the EU summit in Brussels on Friday.
Jansa's comments come as the heads of state and government of the 25-strong bloc confirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in the issue of migration and announced the adoption of several measures by 2010, including a common asylum system.
EU president Matti Vanhanen pointed to the need of a "balanced" EU policy on the issue. Member cooperation could benefit the EU and the source countries, the Finnish PM added.
The summit agreed to address the root causes of migration by increasing aid to African countries. It pledged to improve cooperation among member states in fighting illegal migrations and secure better protection of the bloc's borders.
The summit also confirmed the new schedule for the expansion of the Schengen no-border zone.
While no discussion took place on the expansion, Slovenian Interior Minister Dragutin Mate was praised at the sidelines of the meeting as the engine that enabled the implementation of the Portuguese proposal, Jansa said.
The Portuguese Schengen Information System (SIS I) solution would allow the 2004 EU newcomers to join the Schengen zone with minimum delay.
The delay occurred after technical difficulties postponed the implementation of the SIS II, scheduled for late 2007.
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