Post by Hickman on Apr 8, 2005 3:11:52 GMT -5
EU seeks £4bn migration budget
By David Rennie in Brussels
(Filed: 07/04/2005)
The European Commission yesterday unveiled proposals for a pan-European immigration system.
The commission asked member states to provide more than £4 billion for Brussels-led programmes to manage legal and illegal migration during the life of the next European Union budget from 2007 to 2013.
An "integration fund", worth £1.2 billion, would offer help to national and local governments to integrate newcomers, with "civic orientation courses, intercultural training and handbooks".
A "return fund", worth £496 million, would help national governments repatriate illegal immigrants and failed asylum seekers.
A "refugee fund", worth £850 million, would help countries receive would-be asylum seekers, and arrange for their repatriation, should they voluntarily agree to return home.
Talk of pan-European management of migration flows is uncontroversial in many states, especially those that have already signed up to the Schengen agreement which swept away borders between such states as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and the Benelux countries.
Britain, along with Ireland, has not signed up to the core of the Schengen agreement, and maintains border controls. It will not contribute to the new funds.
The cost of the initiative is broadly rejected as excessive by Britain and five other major net contributors into EU coffers, including Germany and France.
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By David Rennie in Brussels
(Filed: 07/04/2005)
The European Commission yesterday unveiled proposals for a pan-European immigration system.
The commission asked member states to provide more than £4 billion for Brussels-led programmes to manage legal and illegal migration during the life of the next European Union budget from 2007 to 2013.
An "integration fund", worth £1.2 billion, would offer help to national and local governments to integrate newcomers, with "civic orientation courses, intercultural training and handbooks".
A "return fund", worth £496 million, would help national governments repatriate illegal immigrants and failed asylum seekers.
A "refugee fund", worth £850 million, would help countries receive would-be asylum seekers, and arrange for their repatriation, should they voluntarily agree to return home.
Talk of pan-European management of migration flows is uncontroversial in many states, especially those that have already signed up to the Schengen agreement which swept away borders between such states as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and the Benelux countries.
Britain, along with Ireland, has not signed up to the core of the Schengen agreement, and maintains border controls. It will not contribute to the new funds.
The cost of the initiative is broadly rejected as excessive by Britain and five other major net contributors into EU coffers, including Germany and France.
© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2005. Terms & Conditions of reading.
Commercial information. Privacy and Cookie Policy.
news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/04/07/weu07.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/04/07/ixworld.html