Italy, Malta, Greece and Cyprus on Thursday asked the European Union for greater support to combat illegal immigration at an informal meeting of EU interior ministers in Prague.
The four countries presented a package of proposals to stop the influx of illegal immigrants, most of whom arrive by boat from the African coast, including increased powers for European border agency Frontex.
Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni also asked for the introduction of EU accords with the countries illegal immigrants come from, bolstering existing deals between the countries involved.
''Without European accords it is very difficult for individual member states to move ahead effectively with repatriations,'' he said.
''It's not just our problem but the whole of Europe's. People who enter Italy illegally can easily wander around Europe, and so I expect a greater commitment from all the countries of the EU''.
Maroni said he was ''very satisfied'' after the Czech Republic, which holds this year's rotating presidency, agreed to put illegal immigration on the agenda at the next meeting of interior ministers in February.
According to United Nations Refugee Agency figures, some 36,000 people have landed on Italian coasts in the last twelve months - a 75% increase compared to 2007 figures.
The statistics reveal that Italy took more than half of the 67,000 immigrants who arrived by sea in Europe last year.
The majority of Italy's illegal immigrants - around 31,000 - arrived on the island of Lampedusa, which is closer to the north African coast than the Italian mainland.
