Immigration support
February 20, 2011
The EU's border control agency, Frontex, will deploy a team to Italy on Sunday to assist Italian authorities dealing with new arrivals on their territory - especially on the southern island of Lampedusa.
The 27-member bloc said on Saturday that it would give Italy the help it needed to deal with a tide of illegal migrants from North Africa.
Announcing the mission known as "Hermes," EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said it represented "a clear signal of European solidarity between member states."
Hermes 2011
The influx was triggered by an uprising of pro-democracy campaigners that toppled Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The teams taking part will include border experts from other EU member states and will be coordinated by Frontex. The effort will be backed by aircraft and patrol boats.
"In the framework of the Hermes mission, experts from participating member states will be deployed, together with aerial and naval means, to assist the Italian authorities,” said Malmstrom.
"Human and technical resources could be increased according to future needs," she said.
EU officials said the mission would involve about 30 people, a plane and a number of ships.
Author: Richard Connor (AFP, dpa, Reuters)
Editor: Sean Sinico