Ministers from across the European Union said on Thursday that member states must expel migrants and asylum-seekers who are deemed a security risk more quickly, after recent deadly attacks in France and Belgium revived fears of Islamist terrorism in Europe.
Interior and justice ministers met in Luxembourg to discuss what steps to take following a stabbing in France and a shooting in Belgium, at a time of heightened security concerns linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Speaking after the meeting, migration commissioner Ylva Johansson said she had called emergency talks on Friday with the EU's returns coordinator, who is responsible for establishing a shared strategy to repatriate non-European nationals who don't have the right to stay in the EU.
Speeding up the return of people considered a security risk is a priority in the wake of the latest attacks, she said.
"It is absolutely a necessity that we make sure that the European Union is safe from terrorist threats," she told a press conference.
"People who pose a security risk to the European Union need to be much, much more quickly returned to the country of origin."
'Wake-up call'
The two attacks of the past week, which were both committed by people from countries outside the EU, have focused attention on the bloc's migration and asylum rules.
Johansson said the Brussels attack in particular should serve as a "wake-up call".
The 45-year-old Tunisian gunman who killed two Swedish football fans in the Belgian capital on Monday was staying there illegally after his asylum request had been denied. He was shot dead by police.
Meanwhile the 20-year-old, Russian-born man accused of stabbing to death a teacher in northern France on Friday was known before the attack to be a possible security risk but could not have been expelled under current legislation, France said.
"We realise there's still a bit of naivety either in the institutions of some countries or in the EU," said French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin as he arrived for Thursday's meeting.
EU reforms
France is among the countries pushing for a much-debated overhaul of the EU's migration policies that would facilitate quicker repatriations of foreigners with criminal records and make it mandatory for EU countries to immediately repatriate non-Europeans who pose a security risk, among other changes.
The reforms are expected to be finalised this year.
Migration commissioner Johansson said adoption and implementation of the legislation was urgently needed after this week's attacks.
But critics doubt the new rules would be effective and point to growing risks to human rights as the EU seeks to deter unauthorised immigration at all costs.
North African deals
The EU has recorded some 250,000 irregular arrivals this year so far.
Its members are also keen to cooperate with African countries including Morocco and Egypt to cut departures from their shores and make sure they take back their citizens who don't have permission to stay in Europe.
The European Commission is in talks with both countries about possible deals similar to the one recently agreed with Tunisia, which offers EU aid in exchange for Tunis curbing migrant boat crossings.
Johansson said on Thursday that the pact was already bringing results, telling reporters that more than 600 departures from Tunisia had been intercepted in the past month, reducing the number of crossings by 80 percent.
She also noted that progress had been made with a number of other countries outside Europe, including Iraq, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Senegal, on committing to take back their nationals.
Countries that don't cooperate on the issue may face stricter EU visa regimes, she warned.
(with Reuters)
