The European Union wants to improve cooperation with Morocco for the return of its illegal migrants and at the same time discuss visa facilitation, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said in Rabat on Tuesday (December 1st). “I’m here with a mandate to negotiate readmissions and visa facilitation, we’ll see how the talks go,” she said during a press briefing at the start of a two-day official visit. .
“An aging Europe needs a workforce, and irregular arrivals scare the citizens of Europe (…). For me, having fewer irregular arrivals and sending back those who are not allowed to stay is closely linked to visa facilitation and legal migration, ”she explained.
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In the midst of the migratory crisis in the Canary Islands, his first visit to Morocco also aims to “continue discussions” on the readmission mechanisms launched by the Spanish Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, last week during a visit to Rabat.
Illegal arrivals in the Spanish archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa “have increased by more than 1,000%” this year, she said. Since January, around 17,000 African migrants have arrived illegally on the Canary Islands coast and “it seems that more than half of them are Moroccan,” said the commissioner. It’s important to know how to get them to come home. ”
Regular arrivals
Ms. Johansson also intends to discuss with the Moroccan authorities their “needs” in terms of migration management and “the means necessary for shared benefits”. Since 2018, Morocco has received 343 million euros in European aid for various programs (police training, education, etc.), according to data released on Tuesday.
The European Union sees between 2 and 3 million regular arrivals (workers, students or refugees) each year from different countries around the world. About half of those who enter legally leave.
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Last year there were around 100,000 deportation orders, of which about a third were followed by effective return, most often to Ukraine and the Balkans, figures released Tuesday.
Yvla Johansson, who is leading the reform of the European migration pact, calls for increased efficiency in the return of illegal migrants to their countries of origin and considers it a priority to obtain “good readmission agreements”.
