The Nordic countries co-operate on immigration policy
Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, the Minister of Justice in Iceland. mbl.is/Kristinn Magnússon
The Minister of Justice, Gudrún Hafsteinsdóttir and other ministers of justice in the Nordic countries announced plans for a more effective system for sending illegal immigrants to their country of origin or other countries, depending on the circumstances.
AFP reports that the ministers of Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland have signed an agreement to cooperate more closely in the field, but up to now Denmark has been leading the Nordic countries in a more strict policy on immigration.
Trilateral immigration agreement
The agreement is the result of a two-day meeting in Copenhagen before the Nordic Council meeting in Oslo yesterday. The agreement is trilateral according to a statement from Denmark’s immigration ministry.
"The attaches will meet regularly and together strengthen co-operation with third countries in order to better carry out returns to the countries in question and provide reintegration support," said in the statement.
Special attention to the northern African region
Secondly the Nordic countries will co-operate on joint flights from “a Nordic country to a third country, so that people without legal residence in several of the Nordic countries can depart from one Nordic country to a third country," the statement said, adding it would be done in collaboration with the EU's border surveillance agency Frontex.
Thirdly, efforts would be taken to increase support for "stranded irregular migrants in North Africa" including "assisted voluntary return to their own countries."
