European Council June 2009 - Day 2

The European Council has welcomed an initiative for the co-ordination of voluntary measures for the settlement of migrants starting with a pilot project for Malta:

..Speaking to journalists at the end of the two day gathering of 27 heads of Government of EU member states, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi expressed satisfaction at the direct reference made in the Presidency conclusions to a pilot intra-community voluntary relocation programme for Malta that is intended to ease the immigration burden.

When asked by MaltaMedia about the refusal of some member states to accept an obligatory re- settlement of migrants from Malta, the Prime Minister acknowledged the fact that some countries are unwilling to commit themselves and are only prepared to accept voluntary measures for the internal reallocation of beneficiaries of international protection.

The European Council, in its conclusions, also underlined the need for strengthened border control operations coordinated by FRONTEX and called for strong action to fight effectively against organized crime related to the trafficking of human beings...