One of the tragic landmarks happened in September of 2005, when hundreds of refugees simultaneously tried to set foot on European soil by breaching the border fence of the Spanish exclave Ceuta, which sits on the North African coast and borders Morocco. Reports said between 13 and 18 people died and more than 50 were injured.

The massive run to the border was triggered by news spreading in refugee camps in Morocco: Europe was about to establish a common border security agency called Frontex that would aim to do a better job of preventing illegal immigration.

Currently, Frontex supports national governments in the efforts to control their borders, particularly on the Canary Islands, Mediterranean coasts and along the EU's eastern edge.

Europe tightens borders for would-be migrants

Security on the external borders became one of the priorities for European politicians ever since the Schengen Zone was established in 1993 and even more so when it practically went into effect in 1995.

The politicians reached the conclusion that the removal of internal border controls across much of Europe would have to be accompanied by higher walls and tighter controls on the bloc's outermost borders.

Realizing that it could prevent some illegal immigration by enhancing cooperation with countries in northern Africa and the Middle East, European Union leaders established the "Euro-Mediterranean Partnership," known as the Barcelona Process, which was later renamed to the "Union for the Mediterranean."

The basic principle of this cooperation was that the EU would provide higher subsidies and in return the Mediterranean countries would intensify their border controls to prevent people from travelling illegally to Europe.

Human rights activists have criticized the policy and coined the phrase "Fortress Europe" to describe the walls European countries are trying to erect. The groups have been especially critical of the money sent to totalitarian regimes and dictators, who police the borders.

Critics said this money is used to build up prisons and internment camps where human rights violations are routine.

The Arab Spring was followed by a new wave of immigration to the shores of Lampedusa and Malta: With the fall of the old regimes, the previous border control mechanisms no longer worked, which presented an opportunity for those already intent on traveling to Europe to leave their home countries, and instability pushed others to contemplate and embark on a trip that would end with them entering the European fortress.

Author: Klaus Dahmann

Editor: Anke Rasper