Outcome of the Extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council

On 14 September 2015, an extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting was held in Brussels to discuss Europe's response to the current refugee crisis.

The Justice and Home Affairs Council formally adopted the decision establishing a temporary and exceptional relocation mechanism over two years from the frontline member states Italy and Greece to other member states. It will apply to 40,000 persons in clear need of international protection who have arrived or are arriving on the territory of Italy and Greece as from 15 August 2015 until 16 September 2017.

Furthermore, a majority of Member States agreed in principle on the European Commission's proposal to urgently relocate 120,000 additional persons in need of international protection, but no consensus was reached. 

For more information on the results of the extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council - such as the full press release or the full text of the Presidency conclusions - see the website of the Council of the EU.

You can also read the statement made by the European Commission following this meeting.

Publication Date: Wed 16 Sep 2015
Geography:
Keywords:
Main theme:
Commissioner:
News type: