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| Migration crisis: Germany, France and Britain demand urgent EU meeting | Migration crisis: Germany, France and Britain demand urgent EU meeting |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Germany, France and Britain have issued a joint call for an urgent meeting of EU ministers to find concrete measures to cope with the escalating migration crisis. | Germany, France and Britain have issued a joint call for an urgent meeting of EU ministers to find concrete measures to cope with the escalating migration crisis. |
| A statement from the home affairs ministers of the three countries said they had “asked the Luxembourg presidency to organise a special meeting of justice and interior ministers within the next two weeks, so as to find concrete steps” to deal with the situation. | A statement from the home affairs ministers of the three countries said they had “asked the Luxembourg presidency to organise a special meeting of justice and interior ministers within the next two weeks, so as to find concrete steps” to deal with the situation. |
| The three “underlined the necessity to take immediate action to deal with the challenge from the migrant influx”. | The three “underlined the necessity to take immediate action to deal with the challenge from the migrant influx”. |
| Related: Three children rescued from van near German border resume journey | |
| The call came after Germany’s Thomas de Maizière, Britain’s Theresa May and France’s Bernard Cazeneuve spoke about the crisis on the sidelines of a meeting in Paris on Saturday on transport security after passengers thwarted an attack on a high-speed train from Amsterdam to Paris. | The call came after Germany’s Thomas de Maizière, Britain’s Theresa May and France’s Bernard Cazeneuve spoke about the crisis on the sidelines of a meeting in Paris on Saturday on transport security after passengers thwarted an attack on a high-speed train from Amsterdam to Paris. |
| Earlier this month, May visited Calais to inspect new security measures aimed at preventing migrants from reaching England via the Channel tunnel. Up to 5,000 displaced people are estimated to be in the French port, with at least nine known to have died trying to make the journey into Britain since June. | Earlier this month, May visited Calais to inspect new security measures aimed at preventing migrants from reaching England via the Channel tunnel. Up to 5,000 displaced people are estimated to be in the French port, with at least nine known to have died trying to make the journey into Britain since June. |
| Unprecedented numbers of migrants are reaching EU borders, surpassing 100,000 in July alone and reaching more than 340,000 this year so far. Italy and Greece are struggling to cope, while Macedonia has declared a state of emergency. | Unprecedented numbers of migrants are reaching EU borders, surpassing 100,000 in July alone and reaching more than 340,000 this year so far. Italy and Greece are struggling to cope, while Macedonia has declared a state of emergency. |
| The Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, said on Sunday he believed the migrant crisis would push the EU to adopt uniform rules for refugees in place of the current pathchwork of laws and approaches. “It will take months, but we will have a single European policy on asylum, not as many policies as there are countries,” he told the Corriere della Sera. | The Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, said on Sunday he believed the migrant crisis would push the EU to adopt uniform rules for refugees in place of the current pathchwork of laws and approaches. “It will take months, but we will have a single European policy on asylum, not as many policies as there are countries,” he told the Corriere della Sera. |
| Related: The Balkans are now the centre of Europe’s people smuggling web | |
| The French, British and German statement specifically called for reception centres to be set up urgently in Italy and Greece to register new arrivals, and for a common EU list of “safe countries of origin” to be established, which would theoretically allow asylum applications to be fast-tracked for specific nationalities. | The French, British and German statement specifically called for reception centres to be set up urgently in Italy and Greece to register new arrivals, and for a common EU list of “safe countries of origin” to be established, which would theoretically allow asylum applications to be fast-tracked for specific nationalities. |
| Germany, which is expecting to receive 800,000 asylum seekers this year, has been pushing for such a list, arguing that it would free up resources to help those fleeing war and persecution. | Germany, which is expecting to receive 800,000 asylum seekers this year, has been pushing for such a list, arguing that it would free up resources to help those fleeing war and persecution. |
| The call comes after May, the UK home secretary, said current levels of migration were unsustainable and that only European migrants with a job lined up should be allowed into the UK. | The call comes after May, the UK home secretary, said current levels of migration were unsustainable and that only European migrants with a job lined up should be allowed into the UK. |
| Her comments came after figures from the Office for National Statistics showed migration to Britain had hit a record high, reaching 330,000 in the past year to March. The rise comes despite a pledge made by David Cameron in 2011 to bring down immigration to the tens of thousands. | Her comments came after figures from the Office for National Statistics showed migration to Britain had hit a record high, reaching 330,000 in the past year to March. The rise comes despite a pledge made by David Cameron in 2011 to bring down immigration to the tens of thousands. |
| “Net migration at that volume is simply unsustainable,” May wrote in an editorial in the Sunday Times. “It puts pressure on infrastructure, such as housing and transport – and public services, such as schools and hospitals.” | “Net migration at that volume is simply unsustainable,” May wrote in an editorial in the Sunday Times. “It puts pressure on infrastructure, such as housing and transport – and public services, such as schools and hospitals.” |
| She argued that the biggest single factor preventing the government from meeting its immigration target was net migration from the EU. “While net migration from outside the EU is 10% lower than it was in 2010, net migration from within the EU has more than doubled,” May said. “That is why this government’s renegotiation of Britain’s relationship with the EU is so important.” | She argued that the biggest single factor preventing the government from meeting its immigration target was net migration from the EU. “While net migration from outside the EU is 10% lower than it was in 2010, net migration from within the EU has more than doubled,” May said. “That is why this government’s renegotiation of Britain’s relationship with the EU is so important.” |
| The promise of an in/out referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU before the end of 2017 was a key element of the Conservative party’s general election manifesto. Cameron, the UK prime minister, has promised to secure a better deal for Britain in the EU before campaigning for continued membership. | The promise of an in/out referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU before the end of 2017 was a key element of the Conservative party’s general election manifesto. Cameron, the UK prime minister, has promised to secure a better deal for Britain in the EU before campaigning for continued membership. |
| May said countries across Europe were realising that the Schengen agreement – which created Europe’s borderless area – has exacerbated the migration crisis that has dominated the continent this summer. | May said countries across Europe were realising that the Schengen agreement – which created Europe’s borderless area – has exacerbated the migration crisis that has dominated the continent this summer. |
| Related: Only migrants with jobs should be let in to UK, says Theresa May | |
| “The events of this summer have shown that the most tragic consequences of a broken European migration system have been borne by those at risk of exploitation,” she said. “And the greatest beneficiaries have been the callous gangs who sell false dreams and trade on the free borders within the EU.” | “The events of this summer have shown that the most tragic consequences of a broken European migration system have been borne by those at risk of exploitation,” she said. “And the greatest beneficiaries have been the callous gangs who sell false dreams and trade on the free borders within the EU.” |
| May said that suggesting migration cannot be controlled within the EU – which gives freedom of movement to member state nationals – was “defeatist and wrong” and flies in the face of the evidence. | May said that suggesting migration cannot be controlled within the EU – which gives freedom of movement to member state nationals – was “defeatist and wrong” and flies in the face of the evidence. |
| “Reducing net EU migration need not mean undermining the principle of free movement. When it was first enshrined, free movement meant the freedom to move to a job, not the freedom to cross borders to look for work or claim benefits.” | “Reducing net EU migration need not mean undermining the principle of free movement. When it was first enshrined, free movement meant the freedom to move to a job, not the freedom to cross borders to look for work or claim benefits.” |
| Four in 10 of the migrants who came to the UK last year came with no job waiting for them, said May, and this “search for a better life” has had huge economic costs for the countries they’ve left behind. | Four in 10 of the migrants who came to the UK last year came with no job waiting for them, said May, and this “search for a better life” has had huge economic costs for the countries they’ve left behind. |
| “A third of Portugal’s qualified nurses have migrated; 20% of the Czech Republic’s medical graduates leave as soon as they qualify; nearly 500 doctors are leaving Bulgaria every year.” | “A third of Portugal’s qualified nurses have migrated; 20% of the Czech Republic’s medical graduates leave as soon as they qualify; nearly 500 doctors are leaving Bulgaria every year.” |
| Cameron will continue his attempt to renegotiate the terms of the UK’s membership of the EU on Friday, visiting Lisbon for talks with the portuguese prime minister, Pedro Passos Coehlo, before traveling to Madrid where he will meet the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy. | Cameron will continue his attempt to renegotiate the terms of the UK’s membership of the EU on Friday, visiting Lisbon for talks with the portuguese prime minister, Pedro Passos Coehlo, before traveling to Madrid where he will meet the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy. |
| A Downing street spokesperson said: “The prime minister has been clear on the four areas where the UK is seeking reform of the European Union. Technical talks on these issues are now underway and while these talks take place, he will continue to hold discussions with his counterparts – including in Portugal and Spain this Friday – in order to secure reforms that address the concerns of the British people.” | A Downing street spokesperson said: “The prime minister has been clear on the four areas where the UK is seeking reform of the European Union. Technical talks on these issues are now underway and while these talks take place, he will continue to hold discussions with his counterparts – including in Portugal and Spain this Friday – in order to secure reforms that address the concerns of the British people.” |