The initiatives presented by the European Commission cover various aspects of migration, such as strengthened border control and Schengen governance or completion of the Common European Asylum System. These measures come in addition to the urgent short-term measures already taken by the Commission to deal with the migration situation in the Mediterranean and migration pressures on frontline Member States.

The EU can better deal with migration management generally. Therefore, the Commission is proposing a series of initiatives covering the following aspects:

• Completion of the Common European Asylum System by 2012, in line with fundamental values and the Union's international obligations.
• Strengthened border control and Schengen governance to address irregular immigration, to ensure that each Member State effectively controls its part of the EU's external borders in line with the rules and the spirit of EU law, and to build trust in the effectiveness of the EU system of migration management. In November 2010, the Commission launched already an initiative to reform Schengen.
• Better targeted legal migration into the EU to facilitate the immigration of persons with skills needed to assist the EU to fill expected labour and skills shortages and contribute towards redressing the expected decline in its working-age population.
• Sharing of best practices in Member States' approaches to the integration of legal immigrants in the EU, in a manner which will ensure that the economic benefits of immigration are maximised, and so as to ensure social harmony in the Union.
• A strategic approach to relations with third countries on migration-related issues, aimed at facilitating movement of persons through enhanced legal migration possibilities, combined with measures to prevent irregular migration.

Whilst the events in the Southern Mediterranean bring hope for a better life for millions, they have also led to the displacement of over 650.000 people. Very few asylum seekers have arrived in Europe so far. However, over 25.000 have chosen to seek a better life in the EU. Some EU Member States are more directly exposed to massive arrivals of migrants than others, but this situation can not be handled at the national level alone. It requires the mobilisation of all Members States at the EU level.

Other measures

In addition, the EU has responded swiftly to these challenges, with the operational and financial tools at its disposal. Funds have been mobilised to manage the humanitarian emergency generated by the sudden inflows of refugees and displaced persons. Together with the funds provided on a bilateral basis, this support has made it possible to offer temporary shelter to refugees and displaced persons, to meet their basic needs and to assist many of them to return to their countries of origin. FRONTEX launched a Joint Operation (EPN Hermes Extension 2011), aimed at helping Italy deal with the situation of migrants and refugees coming to Italian shores. EUROPOL has deployed a team of experts to Italy, to help its law enforcement authorities to identify possible human smugglers among the irregular migrants having reached Italian territory. Those Member States that are most exposed to the growing flows of refugees and irregular migrants have also been assisted financially.

An extraordinary JHA Council called for 12 May will focus in these measures and it will be followed by a migration-focused discussion at the 24 June European Council. Also, a migration 'package' is going to be submitted to the College for adoption on 24 May.