EU retreats from tough asylum move

Would-be immigrants hold a sit-in at Spain's Pablo de Olavide University

SEVILLE, Spain -- European Union leaders have agreed a crackdown against illegal immigration by the end of the year but have pulled back from a contentious aid option.

The moves include introducing joint border operations and pressing other countries to co-operate in tackling the problem.

Alarmed by public support for anti-immigration parties in several EU member states, the leaders on Saturday also set deadlines in 2002 and 2003 to agree on creating a common asylum policy, which has been a sore subject among member states, Reuters news agency reported.

Britain and Spain had wanted the bloc to withhold aid from outside countries that fail to fight people smugglers and take back their rejected nationals, but backed down after opposition from France, Sweden and some other states.

Anti-globalisation demonstrations planned to coincide with the end of the summit appeared to have failed the large numbers predicted.

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A bigger show involved about 400 immigrants who staged a hunger strike in protest at the summit's plans. (Full story)

The text from the two-day Seville summit urges the EU to actively seek co-operation from third countries to stem illegal migration -- but stops short from calling for sanctions against nations that fail to comply.

French President Jacques Chirac had earlier called for a "humanist and balanced approach," telling the summit the EU must "reward, rather than punish" poor nations.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw acknowledged that most leaders wanted the EU to focus on positive incentives to reward co-operation by other countries rather than punishment.

"What most people have in mind is... positive conditionality," he said. "Countries will get more assistance if they comply with these co-operative agreements."

Patrols of borders will be boosted by joint training and shared intelligence.

Tackling illegal immigration is proving a tough job for EU leaders

The EU will also accelerate plans to tighten visa regulations, use common rules for handling asylum requests, quicken deportation procedures and toughen sentences on people smugglers.

The European Commission estimates that 500,000 illegal refugees settle in the European Union every year. Many just overstay their visas, others pay smugglers to bring them in, or make bogus applications for political asylum.

Human-rights groups and some European politicians have accused the EU leaders of pandering to the far right, which made big recent election gains in France, the Netherlands, Denmark and Italy.

They welcomed the softer tone on third world countries.

Dick Oosting, Director of Amnesty International's EU office, told The Associated Press: "The threat of sanctions highlighted how distorted the EU's policies were becoming.

"The war against 'illegal immigration' had clearly become overheated."

The EU leaders also reconfirmed their plan to wrap up membership negotiations with 10 candidate nations by the end of the year.

The summit reviewed a progress report from former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing on the work of a year-long Convention on the Future of Europe in the run-up to its enlargement.

But the contentious $77.6 billion annual aid to farmers and prospective members was put on hold.

CNN's Robin Oakley said at the end of the summit on Saturday that the issue was "such a hot potato that it was dropped."

"The achievements of the summit were limited," he added.

Tight security has been in place for the meeting, but armed separatist group ETA has been blamed for five car bombs that went off in tourist areas on the south coast as well as in the north of the country. (Full story)

The start of the two-day summit in Seville was delayed for two hours on Friday following a general strike in Spain the previous day which held up transport plans. (Full story)