EU leaders adopted conclusions relating to the migration crisis at the European Council meeting on 17 December 2015.
The EU institutions and the Member States agreed to:
- Address shortcomings relating to Schengen external borders
- Address deficiencies in the functioning of migrant hotspots[1]
- Ensure identification, registration and fingerprinting of migrants arriving in the EU
- Implement relocation decisions and assist Member States experiencing a high influx of migrants
- Implement return and readmission operations in respect of people not authorised to stay
- Enhance measures for fighting smuggling and trafficking of human beings
- Ensure implementation and operational follow up to:
- the High Level Conference on the Eastern Mediterranean – Western Balkans route
- the Valletta Summit
- the EU-Turkey Statement consider
- Continue to implement the agreed resettlement scheme
- Continue to monitor flows along migration routes.
The Council will consider:
- A decision on its position on the list of safe countries of origin
- Examine the situation concerning Afghanistan
- Examine the European Commission proposals of 15 December on a “European Border and Coast Guard“, the Schengen Borders Code, “A voluntary humanitarian admission scheme“, and travel documents for returns
- review of the Dublin system.
Next steps:
The European Council will meet again on 18-19 February 2016 under the Netherlands Presidency.
For more information:
See Conclusions on migration – European Council (17 December 2015).
[1] The ‘Hotspot’ approach involves the European Asylum Support Office, Frontex and Europol working together on the ground with frontline Member States to in order to quickly identify, register and fingerprint incoming migrants.
