Europe’s Nordic countries to cooperate on immigration policy, deportation flights

Ministers of justice of Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland have signed an agreement to cooperate more closely to create a more effective system for sending illegal immigrants to their country of origin or other countries, depending on the circumstances.
Up to now, Denmark has been leading the Nordic countries in a more strict policy on immigration but the new agreement reflects the growing popularity of the Danish model as anti-immigration voices have gained traction across the Nordic region. The trilateral agreement is the result of a two-day meeting in Copenhagen before the Nordic Council meeting in Oslo on Monday (31 October). “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,” according to a statement.
The agreement also paves the way for a close cooperation among the Nordic countries 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 European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex. The agreement also commits the Nordic countries to increase support for “stranded irregular migrants in North Africa” who will be offered assisted voluntary return to their home countries and assistance in re-establishing themselves in the third country. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), irregular immigrants often travel by the help of smugglers on their way to Europe and many end up stranded in Africa on their way.