The EU could offer to make it easier for students from Morocco and Tunisia to receive visas. This and other sweeteners would be offered in return for a reciprocal deal to allow the EU to repatriate illegal migrants, the European Commissioner said.   Frattini’s proposals can help Malta’s bid to tackle the influx of illegal immigrants year after year.

According to The Financial Times Mr Frattini said that the EU still has to reach agreement with African countries to take back illegal immigrants.  “The EU has yet to forge such a "return" agreement with any African nation to take back citizens who are illegally in the 27-country bloc."

Mr Frattini told The Financial Times: "There is a very reluctant stance by African countries taken vis-à-vis Europe. I can understand perfectly. They have to show their public that the rich Europe does not want only security, only protection. But we are ready to offer something. Legal migration, for example, or visa facilitation for students."

Some member states have been accused of being slow to meet their commitments to provide equipment for patrols of the EU's southern coastal waters by the union's Frontex agency.  Nevertheless, the patrols were having an effect, Mr Frattini said. "I have to say for the first time I see a clear positive impact on patrolling missions and Frontex activity on the flows of migrants.”  The first seven months of operation on the Canary Islands led to illegal migrant flows dropping by, up to 60 per cent," he told The Financial Times.