As a representative of the Council of Europe's press service told a Rosbalt news agency correspondent, the interior and justice ministers of the 25 EU member states reached this decision during a scheduled meeting in Luxembourg. In addition, the ministers called on the European Commission to support the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders (FRONTEX) in order to ensure the timely expulsion of illegal migrants from EU territory.
The amount allocated by the European Union for this purpose seems large only at first glance. In reality, however, it is merely a supplementary tool. The main costs of repatriating illegals are still borne by the countries from which these emigrants are expelled. For example, Germany's federal budget for 2004 provided €42 million for these purposes, and France's budget provided €31 million.
In 2005, many countries increased this budget expenditure item due to the tightening of migration legislation. Thus, the repatriation of illegal emigrants will cost Dutch taxpayers €22 million (for comparison, in 2004 the kingdom's budget allocated only €12 million for this purpose).
The €15 million allocated by the European Union will mainly cover the expenses of the new member states, which have not previously faced such problems and therefore did not have targeted amounts in their budgets for the repatriation of illegals. The main 'recipients' will most likely be Poland, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, and Malta.
As is known, the European Union is simultaneously making efforts to stop the flow of illegal refugees outside its borders. In 2005, European money was used to modernize Libya's border and customs services, after the leader of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Muammar al-Gaddafi, promised to prevent the transfer of uninvited 'guests' from Libya to Italy and Spain by sea if he was provided with material support for these purposes. In addition, negotiations are currently ongoing between the European Commission and the governments of Ukraine and Morocco on cooperation in curbing illegal immigration through these countries.
In 2004, about 200,000 illegal emigrants were repatriated from EU countries. Algeria ranks first on the list of countries from which the most illegals come. Russia is in seventh place, just one step behind Ukraine, and Nepal rounds out the list.