Premium
JHA Council: Ministers of interior from the EU try to unblock application of pact regarding migration, asylum.
The ministers of interior from the EU member states met in Luxembourg on Thursday to try to unblock the reform of the migration policy, agreeing on solidarity in receiving refugees between the states members and an accelerated examination of certain asylum applications at borders, told Agerpres.
The European Commission expressed its optimism regarding the chances of an agreement, while the representative of the Swedish presidency, Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, said the chances of an agreement were somewhere at "50-50."
"It was a marathon, we have maybe 100 metres to go," said European Commissioner for Internal Affairs Ylva Johansson upon arriving at the meeting. "I expect the member states to take these last steps to reach an agreement today," she added.
An agreement would pave the way for negotiations with the European Parliament, with a view to adopting the reform before the spring of 2024.
The compromise proposal of Sweden, the country that exercises the six-month presidency of the EU Council, provides for a mandatory but "flexible" solidarity.
Member States would be obliged to accept a certain number of asylum seekers arriving in an EU country subject to migratory pressure or otherwise to make a financial contribution to this country.
The German interior minister, Nancy Faeser, said before the JAI meeting that the proposal of the Swedish presidency must be improved.
"The proposed compromise is very difficult for Germany. I feel that there is a common understanding that could lead to an agreement, but not at any price," said Faeser.
