As a result of the repeated illegal landings on the shores of Europe, and the increasing number of victims of the so-called ‘journeys of hope’ which have occurred last summer, the issue of immigration once again has come dramatically to the fore.

This year, more than 20,000 people have been stopped by EU patrol boats while trying to cross the Mediterranean coming from Africa.

The issue of immigration is an extremely complex one, to which Europe has not been able to give an adequate answer until recently.

This issue is now at the core of the European debate, in relation to the regulation of migration flows and the containment of illegal immigration, and in relation to the coexistence of different cultures and the integration of immigrant communities which already reside in Europe.

On 16 October, the European Council has finally adopted the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum, which seeks to establish a clear and comprehensive management of these important issues, so as to send a strong political signal to countries outside the EU.

But, while the Pact is seen by EU member states as a genuine common policy addressing the problems of immigration in an adequate way, human rights organisations argue that the Pact is only aimed at protecting European borders.

The Pact is available at the following link:

In September, the ENPI (European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument) published a document concerning the issue of illegal immigration:

Other available documents:

European Commission Communication:

In relation to the problems of immigration and coexistence, “The Kiosk – An Overview on Euro-Arab Press” has published two articles taken from Arab and European press:

This article, in its original version, is available at:

This article, in its original version, is available at:

Other articles: