Joseph Daul MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber MEP, Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group, and Simon Busuttil MEP, EPP Group Coordinator in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament, welcomed the proposed package of initiatives for a comprehensive European response to the challenges and opportunities of migration made by the European Commission.

Simon Busuttil MEP said: "The Commission's package will contribute to the improvement of the management of migration and mobility, especially through co-operation with Southern Mediterranean countries. The current crisis in the Mediterranean has shown that there are still ways in which the EU can better deal with such situations and with migration management in general."

Joseph Daul MEP said: "The EPP Group has long insisted that migration should be at the top of the EU agenda. It is now there and we will keep it there until we achieve the desired results, namely a firm but fair immigration and asylum policy that is based on the principle of solidarity."

"The Commission is right in working on a comprehensive approach towards migration. It is a major European challenge, as we can see in the current situation in the Mediterranean. The two major components of the EPP Group migration policy are solidarity and responsibility. Besides, it is equally important for the Commission to use existing tools. I regret that Commissioner Malmström has not acted in full swing in the cases of Greece and Italy", commented Manfred Weber MEP.

The Commission's proposal is a follow-up to its Communication adopted on 4 May 2011, which sets out the components of a wide-ranging policy on migration.

For further information:
Joseph DAUL MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845525
Manfred WEBER MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845890
Simon BUSUTTIL MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845686
Sarita Rauta, EPP Group Press and Communications Service, Tel: +32-476-880538