At a press conference following the immigration section of the Informal Meeting of Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs in Toledo, the Spanish Secretary of State Consuelo Rumí and Commission Vice-president Jacques Barrot reported that the EU leaders set the bases for a European Immigration and Asylum Agreement.

At a press conference following the immigration section of the Informal Meeting of Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs in Toledo, the Spanish Secretary of State Consuelo Rumí and Commission Vice-president Jacques Barrot reported that the EU leaders set the bases for a European Immigration and Asylum Agreement. This agreement would set out the new challenges and instruments for a “balanced, open, generous and firm” community policy helping to integrate legal immigrants and strengthen border controls to curb illegal migration.

“We want to build an EU model that will promote equal opportunities and social cohesion,” indicated Ms. Rumí. She emphasised the importance of taking advantage of the opportunities the Lisbon Treaty affords for moving forward in this area and defining the priorities and mechanisms for implementing the Stockholm Agreement.

The Secretary of State also referred to the importance the Spanish Presidency wishes to place on integration of immigrants, as well as the need to provide more support to immigrants residing legally in the EU that have suffered from the economic crisis.

Mr Barrot echoed Ms Rumí's message, indicating that “integration is most difficult in times of crisis. However, we must not miss the opportunity before us.”
During the meeting, the Spanish Presidency emphasised its desire to bring about the approval of an action plan for unaccompanied immigrant minors. Such a plan would define the policies for prevention and protection, as well as the safe return of these minors to their countries of origin.

The Secretary of State advocated the need to share the costs of aiding unaccompanied minors arriving illegally in Europe. Mr Barrot seconded this message, affirming that “The Commission will lend financial support to the action plan for unaccompanied minors.”

Mr Barrot also mentioned the need to define and promote co-operation policies with the countries of origin or transit of illegal immigration, and the opportunity to revise Frontex's regulations, bringing the agency into line with the new needs and providing it with the resources it requires to accomplish its important task.