EU deadlocked on agreement to distribute refugees across countries

BRUSSELS – EU ministers failed on Monday to break a deadlock over sharing out responsibility for sheltering some of the hundreds of thousands of people who have sought asylum in Europe this year, leaving the shape of a final deal in doubt.

 

Determined opposition from a core of ex-Communist eastern states blocked efforts by Germany and France to secure agreement for a proposal by the EU executive to relocate 120,000 people from frontier countries according to mandatory national quotas.

 

After six hours of argument, ministers put off a decision, saying they hoped to agree on a deal to find places for the asylum-seekers at another meeting on Oct. 8.

 

Officials said that following a final legal endorsement of an earlier plan to relocate 40,000 people to countries that volunteer to take them, Hungary and Slovakia led resistance to pleas to accept a quota system for the larger new number. They argue such schemes will draw more migrants and lead to further mass movements that threaten Europe’s open borders system.

 

“We did not find the agreement we wanted,” EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos told reporters. “The majority of member states are ready to move forward. But not all.”

 

Read More: EU deadlocked on agreement to distribute refugees across countries – International – Jerusalem Post