Prime Minister Mark Rutte will go to Tunisia on Sunday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and EU leader Ursula von der Leyen for consultations about a possible migration deal.
The European Union wants to make agreements with the North African country to curb illegal migration. Many migrants from Tunisia try to reach Italy or Malta via the Mediterranean Sea. That is not without danger: it often happens that people drown during the crossing.
The EU also wants to make agreements about taking back Tunisians who are not entitled to asylum here. The committee is preparing a package of proposals. A lot of money will have to be paid to the North African country to stop migrants who want to go to Europe. Tunisia is in very bad economic shape.
It is also quite possible that the EU and Tunisia will make agreements about admitting a certain number of Tunisians who will receive a visa for a few years to study or work here.
Closing a deal takes more time
No deal is expected to be closed this weekend. A spokesman for Rutte calls it a “step in the process”. The visit does show that the consultations with Tunisian President Kais Saied are progressing constructively, says the spokesman for Commission President Von der Leyen.
The agreements that the EU wants to make will be comparable to the Turkey deal that was concluded in 2016. In exchange for billions of euros, the country promised to stop migrants and take back rejected asylum seekers.
2023-06-08 10:59:00
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