2015-05-11 08:17:00

EU to debate immigration measures after boat deaths


The European Commission is set this week to debate a controversial proposal that would make EU member countries take in migrants under a quota scheme. 

Listen to the report by Tracey McClure:

The Commission is due Wednesday to unveil its EU migration agenda in the wake of hundreds of deaths of migrants off the coasts of Libya and Italy as they were trying to make their way to a new life in Europe.

Some 60,000 people have tried to cross the Mediterranean this year but more than 1,800 migrants have died in the Mediterranean this year - 20 times more than those who died  in 2014.

Among the proposals on the table:  a quota system for relocation of migrants to be distributed among the EU’s 28 member states – when the bloc faces a big influx of asylum seekers.

The commission will also call on the EU to resettle more of the millions of refugees from the Syrian conflict who are living now in neighboring countries – plus set up a military operation to seize migrant smuggling boats in the Mediterranean or in Libya.

The Commission also wants a fast track for highly skilled migrants to move to the EU.

The proposals face an uphill battle – with stiff opposition from several countries .

The number of asylum requests jumped almost 45 percent last year to nearly 630,000 with the highest numbers presented in Germany, Sweden and Italy.

EU foreign ministers hope to obtain UN backing for the mission and the green light to begin operations as early as May 18.

 

 

 








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