Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann gestures as he attends a press conference in Berlin on Sept. 15, 2015. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and visiting Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said on Tuesday they had proposed a special EU summit to discuss the current refugee crisis. (Xinhua/Guo Yang)
BRUSSELS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) interior ministers will hold an emergency meeting on Sept. 22 to cope with refugee crisis, officials said Tuesday.
Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg's Minister for Immigration and Asylum and President of the Council, said the meeting will focus on the refugee redistribution plan among EU member states.
Interior ministers on Monday agreed on a initial plan to relocate 40,000 refugees from Italy and Greece, but failed to reach consensus on other important topics.
Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union said in a press release that, the meeting intends to provide the follow-up of the meeting of Monday.
On this occasion, the Presidency wants the ministers to adopt a decision on a provisional mechanism for the relocation of 120,000 persons in need of international protection from member states exposed to massive migratory flows.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker last week called for relocating more 120,000 migrants under a compulsory scheme, bringing the total proposed number up to 160,000.
Massive influx of migrants are entering Europe in recent weeks, in search of refuge in European countries.
Juncker, together with leaders of Germany and France have been pressing reluctant member states to support Commission proposals.
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Austria to begin border control implementation measures
VIENNA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Austrian government will begin official implementation of temporary border controls from midnight Tuesday after notifying the European Union, the Interior Ministry told the Austria Press Agency.
After announcing its intention to reinstate border checks on Monday, the government officially informed the European Union of its plan in writing on Tuesday, specifically with the intention of attaining greater flexibility in dealing with both large waves of migrants wishing to enter Austria territory, as well as people smugglers.Full Story
Spotlight: More European countries move to toughen border measures as refugees army rushes on
BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- European countries are to take, or have taken, extra border control measures as an army of hundreds of thousands of refugees rushed toward them, via the Balkan region or other places.
Hungary officially closed its border with Serbia shortly after midnight on Tuesday as its new, strict law punishing illegal crossings with prison, went into effect.Full Story
