Spain, Italy and France are planning to launch joint navy patrols in the Mediterranean to fight illegal immigration, drug-trafficking and terrorism.
Initial agreement came during a meeting between Spain's socialist prime minister, José Luis RodrÃÂguez Zapatero, and Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's premier. The two men are expected to sign a deal with France in January to create what Mr Zapatero has called "a Schengen of the sea".
While the Schengen area of 15 European Union states has no frontier controls for travellers, the new deal will be all about keeping a strict watch over borders. "The immigration phenomenon, in the short term, the medium term and the long term, is the biggest question facing all the countries of the EU," said Mr Zapatero. |