Tony Blair has welcomed the Europe-wide clampdown on illegal immigrants, saying the action will not "shut out" legitimate asylum seekers.

The prime minister said the new measures, agreed at the EU summit in Seville, were about targeting criminal gangs who smuggle people into the UK.

"It's about ensuring that the people traffickers who trade in human misery cannot exploit weaknesses," he said.

Blair: Agreement not against genuine immigrants

The new directives will also involve joint border patrols and a tightening of borders with countries outside the EU

They will also see the EU start to process asylum seekers in the first country they pass through.

Earlier Europe Minister Peter Hain told the BBC the UK had got the agenda it wanted - a common asylum policy.

The minister said the agreement would stop immigrants "shopping around for the best deal after coming into Europe through a nook or cranny".

He said the deal meant "we have got a situation where every country takes its responsibilities seriously".

The clamp-down is not intended to punish poor people or their countries, who will be offered trade, aid and political support in return for their co-operation.

"We're not trying to keep out genuine victims of oppression," said Mr Hain.

All these things are big steps forward. Are they the full answer? No

Tony Blair

"They will always have a place, a sanctuary in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, as they always have done.

"What we are trying to stop is this unprecedented traffic by criminal gangs of people - often exploiting them in the process."

Britain had been among countries calling for a tougher line on poor countries which fail to co-operate with immigration controls.

But Britain, Germany and Spain were forced to scale down controversial demands to impose stiff penalties on them, following firm opposition from France and Sweden.

'Progress'

Under a compromise deal the EU will adopt common standards for dealing with asylum applications by the end of the year.

Mr Blair said the agreement meant they were making progress, but more work was still need.

"All these things are big steps forward. Are they the full answer? No," he said.

In the past, some countries have ignored the asylum and immigration rules under which they are expected to operate.