Plea to beef up EU border agency

Spain's Canary Islands are struggling with a migrant influx

The EU Justice Commissioner, Franco Frattini, says member states must urgently give helicopters and boats to the new EU border agency.

Mr Frattini said that without help from member states it would be difficult to avoid new streams of immigrants.

More than 25,000 migrants reached Spain's Canary Islands last year, and more are expected this summer.

Thousands of would-be migrants are believed to die during the journey from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe.

Last year, the border agency Frontex struggled to acquire just a few boats and aircraft for patrols off the Canaries and Malta.

Arriving for a meeting of EU interior and justice ministers in Dresden, Mr Frattini said it was impossible for EU states to refuse to co-operate.

Green card

He wants the 27 member countries to adopt a motion by April which would make it a legal obligation for countries to deploy human and material resources to help improve border security.

Mr Frattini will also air his plan to propose an EU Green Card by the middle of the year.

Modelled on the successful US Green Card, it would be used to attract highly qualified immigrants.

Most migrants to the Canary Islands are Senegalese

EU countries appeared to be divided on the issue ahead of the talks.

Germany is expected to urge the ministers to agree to transform into EU law a treaty to allow police to carry out cross-border hot pursuit in the EU.

The agreement is already in force in Germany, Austria and Spain, permitting the exchange of DNA and fingerprint data.

At least 700 DNA traces found in Germany have been matched with persons known to the Austrian criminal authorities, Germany said in a document released ahead of the meeting.