UK Will Tighten Citizenship Policy

Home Secretary David Blunkett plans to implement a key part of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act, making it easier to strip people of British citizenship. When these tougher laws are brought into operation next month, Blunkett will be allowed to remove citizenship from anyone whose presence he believes is "seriously prejudicial to the vital interests" of the country.

This policy will add to other circumstances in which the government can revoke a person's citizenship. Citizenship can be removed if it is found the person obtained it by "fraud or false representation or the concealing of a material fact," or if the person has been "disloyal or disaffected towards the Queen," or has had unlawful relations with enemies in a time of war.

Another rule will require people married to British citizens to have a knowledge of the English language, a rule that currently applies only to those not married to British citizens.

***

Belgium Database Developed With Help From Microsoft Founder

The Belgium Foreign Affairs Ministry has been aided by Microsoft chief Bill Gates in its development of a database containing information about wanted suspects and foreigners who have been refused entry. Gates was visiting Belgium for the Microsoft.Net Convention.

The new database is expected to speed up the issuing of visas from Belgian embassies and consulates abroad by providing officials with up-to-date details of people being sought by authorities and who will be refused a Belgian entry visa.

***

Europe Begins Surveillance To Halt Illegal Immigration

This week patrol boats from five European nations began patrolling the Mediterranean in an attempt to control the growing number of immigrants trying to enter Europe illegally. Spain , Britain , France , Portugal and Italy launched Europe 's first joint maritime surveillance scheme as part of a pilot project, called Operation Ulysses. The goal is to monitor the western Mediterranean from Algeciras in southern Spain to Paleermo in Sicily . It marks the first time that EU members have worked together in this way, as they seek to harmonize their policies on all aspects of migration, repatriation and asylum.