During a meeting in Vienna, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak agreed on the need to work with third countries to combat illegal immigration in Europe. They endorsed the UK’s Rwanda scheme and called for similar arrangements with other third countries to address the issue. The leaders emphasized the importance of government control over who enters their countries and the need for stronger action to prevent people smuggling. They highlighted the role of safe third countries in protecting Europe from irregular migration and dangerous journeys. The joint statement also mentioned the need to secure borders and strengthen security measures to counter attempts to destabilize Europe through migration. The leaders welcomed new procedures, including Rule 39, adopted by the European Court of Human Rights, as well as additional funding for the National Crime Agency to disrupt people smuggling operations. They reaffirmed their commitment to stopping illegal migration and praised the UK’s leadership in addressing the challenges posed by such activities. In recent weeks, a Belfast court has made a ruling that provisions of the Illegal Immigration Act should be disapplied in Northern Ireland due to their incompatibility with post-Brexit arrangements. Additionally, the civil servants’ union has requested a judicial review of the Safety of Rwanda Act, claiming it conflicts with the Civil Service Code.
“We’ve recognized that there has been a concerted effort to prevent this policy being deployed through legal challenge,” stated the home secretary on Friday. “And we’ve made sure that the law, the Safety of Rwanda Act, is robust, that it addresses the legal concerns that were highlighted to us.”
This year, nearly 10,000 illegal immigrants have entered the UK via the small boat route. PA Media contributed to this report.
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