Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-09-26-Speech-3-022"
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"en.20070926.2.3-022"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner Frattini has spoken to us today first about legal migration and then about irregular immigration. If European Union policies followed the logic of his words I could agree with him, but unfortunately that is not the case.
In recent years EU policies have first and foremost used language such as refusal of entry, migrant criminality, repression, the spectre of invasion; now, at last, we are beginning to speak of entry policies. Therefore, we can all agree that a policy on legal migration is crucial in order to combat irregular immigration, to prevent human trafficking, to avoid sea crossings by the hopeful, and to stop the Mediterranean increasingly becoming an open-air graveyard. We should also be logical, however. Consequently, before proposing policies on refusal of entry we should discuss how to broaden legal entry channels and how to tackle the demographic challenge.
I did not really understand what Mr Frattini was referring to today, whether he was talking about press leaks. In actual fact, the forecast of 20 million immigrants by 2030 has been made by the European Commission itself in its Green Paper, which explained that the demographic crisis in the European Union is such that we will need 20 million immigrants by 2030. However, 20 million immigrants does not mean 20 million skilled immigrants. We are proceeding from back to front: first implementing policies on refusal of entry, then deciding how to bring in skilled immigrants and, finally, tackling the major problem of what to do about all the others.
I believe that we should take a closer look at the policies implemented in recent years and analyse them. We also need to assess what kind of policy we want on refusal of entry. To consider 18 months of administrative detention is in itself, I believe, an offence and a systematic violation of human rights.
We should also examine what Frontex is doing. This year we have spent €45 million; Frontex has 90 staff and carried out four missions at sea this summer. I do not think we can be satisfied with the policy pursued by Frontex. Its policy has given refusal of entry precedence over saving life.
I would conclude on this point: saving life must be a priority. At the request of our Group’s Chairman and others, the Commission was to report to us today on the affair of the seven Tunisian fishermen who are in prison in Italy for having rescued 44 migrants. I hope Commissioner Frattini will be able to enlighten us on this affair, which is in keeping with the logic of criminalising immigration."@en1
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