Madrid - Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Monday stressed the need for European Union countries to jointly repatriate undocumented immigrants.

The EU needed to step up "political and diplomatic" efforts to stage joint repatriation flights, Zapatero said when appearing before the media with his Maltese counterpart Lawrence Gonzi.

The EU is discussing joint repatriations. Britain and France have already taken joint action to deport Afghan migrants.

Zapatero and Gonzi were to discuss the Spanish EU presidency, which intends to place the fight against illegal immigration among its priorities in the first half of 2010.

Gonzi described illegal immigration as a "very big challenge" implicating not only Mediterranean countries, but "all of Europe." (dpa)