Asylum and irregular immigration in the EU: state of play

Recent events in the Mediterranean have seen many migrants dying off the shores of Italy, Malta and Spain. Many voices call for a more coherent approach to asylum and irregular immigration in the EU to achieve a balance between the legitimate interests of people seeking security and/or better living conditions, and the need to keep national infrastructure from being overwhelmed, as well as to ensure citizens’ trust in an area of free movement without internal borders.