European leaders in Brussels review solutions and remaining gaps to address the unprecedented migratory flows Europe is facing
The European Council on 17-18 December 2015 agreed to speed up actions on the operation of hotspots, the implementation of relocation decisions and returns, the control of external borders and cooperation with third countries.
At their meeting on 17-18 December 2015, EU leaders discussed inter alia the migration crisis. They acknowledged that implementation of the strategy aimed at stemming the migratory flows Europe is facing is insufficient and has to be speeded up. To this end, in its conclusions on migration, the Council agreed that the EU institutions and the Member States must urgently:
- address the shortcomings at the Schengen external borders
- address deficiencies in the functioning of hotspots
- ensure systematic identification, registration and fingerprinting of migrants
- implement relocation decisions
- ensure actual and returns and readmissions
- enhance measures to fight trafficking and smuggling
- ensure follow up inter alia to EU-Turkey statement of 29 November 2015
- continue implementing the resettlement scheme
- continue to monitor flows along migratory routes
Please find additional information, including the Presidency report "Managing migration flows - state of play - implementing solutions and remaining gaps" and the conclusions on migration, on the website of Council of the European Union.