France and Germany are "firmly convinced" of the need to reduce the flow of migrants into Europe, they wrote in a joint letter to the European Commission seen by AFP on Tuesday.
"It is clear that the control of common external borders should be rapidly reinforced," said interior ministers Bernard Cazeneuve and Thomas de Maiziere in the letter, dated December 3, calling for a "substantial reinforcement" of the EU's Frontex border agency.
The ministers said Frontex should be able to call on "rapid intervention forces" in emergencies, and have access to EU security databases.