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This week’s unveiling of UN proposals for universal migrant rights is being treated with such suspicion that only Britain, Holland and Denmark have signed up unreservedly. The so-called UN Global Compact for Migration aims to set out universal rights and conditions for migrants – but one Member of the European Parliament has pointed out that of adopted then even the criticising of the very concept of migration would be considered a hate crime. Italy, a nation tacking a huge migrant influx, was furious about the new ‘meddling’ legislation and refused to attend the meeting in Marrakech on December 10 and 11.

Now other EU nation states have joined the backlash saying migration is an issue for national governments not the UN. The UN’s Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration was provisionally approved by UN members in July. President Donald Trump, who has maintained a hardline response to immigration in the US. Was not a fan. The UK, Netherlands and Denmark have all said they are supportive of the pact, which was announced by MEP Marcus de Graff.

A new UN pact is urging EU member states to tighten up laws over migration policy

Marcel De Graff said that the new policy would make criticising migration policies

But the compact has since been rejected by UN states such as Austria, Poland, Israel, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Australia, Slovakia and Hungary. The Migration Policy Institute says Conservative political parties in Germany, France, Italy and Denmark have denounced the deal. EU analysts have warned a bloc wide rebuff of the pact will undermine future efforts to deal with migration crisis’ similar to the one experienced in 2015-2016, when thousands of refugees flooded into Europe from Syria and Afghanistan. But Hanne Bierins of the Migration Policy Institute Europe think tank, criticised the UN-devised pact.

Mr Bierins said: “Now we threaten to go down a road where people can pretend this unilateral approach is not only feasible but desirable. But a containment policy of managing borders will only last so long until it falters.” Austria, who has seen a rise in anti-immigration politics, accused the UN of “mixing up” asylum seekers with valid claims with so-called economic migrants looking for work. The UN Global Compact for Migration was launched on September 19 2016 during a summit on migrants and refugees. The pact’s main objectives include making migration easier, boosting international efforts for safe passage in order to save lives, and minimising environmental factors. The deal would also improve border management, provide basic services to migrants and ramp up laws against perceived as “anti-migration hate crimes”.

Italy news: Matteo Salvini has said migration olicy should be left to each individual country