The European Commission has unveiled a new blueprint for dealing with
the European Union’s migration crisis, including a controversial plan
for national quotas.
The EU aims to bring 20,000 refugees to Europe in the next two years, as part of the plan, at a cost of €50million (£36million).
The EU aims to bring 20,000 refugees to Europe in the next two years, as part of the plan, at a cost of €50million (£36million).
The Commission is urging EU states to share the burden of processing asylum claims. Italy and Greece, facing a migrant surge, are struggling to cope.
Under EU law the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark are exempted from the quota plan, the BBC reports.
There is pressure for tougher EU action to send economic migrants back home.
The EU is considering naval action in the Mediterranean to intercept boats used to traffic migrants from North Africa, with Libya a particular hotspot.
But EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said concrete military measures would have to be decided on Monday by EU foreign and defence ministers.
Any military strike against human traffickers would require United Nations Security Council authorisation, the EU says.
At a news conference in Brussels, Ms Mogherini called the migration problem in the Mediterranean “unprecedented and “dramatic.”
More than 1,800 migrants have died at sea this year trying to reach Italy – a sharp rise on last year’s corresponding figures.
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