Duitsland wil Noord-Afrikaanse opvangkampen voor emigranten uit EU-gelden financieren (en)

The German interior minister is to propose a new plan to create migration camps in north Africa in order to tackle illegal immigration to the EU.

A similar plan was proposed by the British a year ago, but at the time it was rejected by most of member states.

Otto Schily, German interior minister, wants to establish EU funded migration camps in North Africa to receive illegal migrants rescued or halted as they try to reach Europe, reports the Financial Times.

Mr Schily believes that such camps could also be used to process asylum and immigration claims.

"A lot of people are trying to come across the sea to reach the borders of the EU, and a lot of people lose their lives", Mr Schily said, according to the Financial Times.

"If we stop these boats we have to create a shelter for people. If we stop illegal migration, we have to return people to their country of origin".

The German interior minister is said to want to present the plans to his European counterparts at the end of this month.

Mr Schily is believed to be supported by the incoming Commissioner for justice and home affairs, Italian right-winger Rocco Buttiglione.