EU leaders agreed a compromise plan to try to tackle the bloc’s migration crisis yesterday after a marathon nine-hour Brussels summit. In a bad-tempered session that lasted until the early hours of yesterday, they repeatedly clashed over who should take responsibility for migrants arriving from across the Mediterranean.
The summit eventually agreed a set of draft proposals, including moves to set up new reception centres to process asylum claims.
The package, short on specific details, was seen by diplomats at the summit as an attempt to shore up underpressure Angela Merkel.
The German Chancellor has faced intense criticism from within her own ruling coalition over her support for open-door border policies.
Yesterday’s deal proposed a system allowing nations to volunteer to accept migrants.
It also put forward the setting up of “controlled centres” within the EU where asylum requests can be processed.
The leaders also agreed to share responsibility for migrants rescued at sea.
The deal was struck just as it emerged that about 100 boat migrants trying to reach Europe drowned off Libya.
Only 14 survivors from the boat, which is believed to have capsized, were picked up by Libya’s coastguard.
Others were rescued from a capsized dinghy.
An angry row had engulfed the Brussels summit after Italy’s prime minister Giuseppe Conte demanded a fundamental change in EU migration policy.
Mr Conte complained that his country received little help even though it was at the forefront of receiving migrants from across the Mediterranean.
He refused to endorse a summit text on security and trade until other leaders had pledged to provide more support.
This year more than 11,400 arrivals from Libya have been registered by Italy’s interior ministry.
Diplomats described a tense, tortuous meeting with one saying: “It is so toxic. They go into the room, clash, storm out, go back again, clash again.”
Prime Minister Theresa May emerged to acknowledge the migration discussions had been “lengthy”.
After the final agreement, Mr Conte said: “Italy is not alone anymore.”