This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/23/eu-summit-brussels-divisive-deal-refugee-quotas
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| EU braces for turbulent summit after divisive deal on refugee quotas | EU braces for turbulent summit after divisive deal on refugee quotas |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| EU leaders are preparing for a tense summit in Brussels dedicated to the continent’s migration crisis, a day after European governments forced through a divisive deal to impose refugee quotas. | EU leaders are preparing for a tense summit in Brussels dedicated to the continent’s migration crisis, a day after European governments forced through a divisive deal to impose refugee quotas. |
| The leaders did not want their emergency summit on Wednesday evening to be hijacked by an unseemly squabble over quotas and ordered interior ministers to strike a deal in which member states will share 120,000 people between them. | |
| The summit will focus on the faster screening and fingerprinting of people arriving on the EU’s southern borders and helping neighbouring countries in the Balkans and the Middle East, notably Turkey, to stop people heading for the EU. | The summit will focus on the faster screening and fingerprinting of people arriving on the EU’s southern borders and helping neighbouring countries in the Balkans and the Middle East, notably Turkey, to stop people heading for the EU. |
| Related: Refugee crisis: EU summit amid resentment over quota deal – live | Related: Refugee crisis: EU summit amid resentment over quota deal – live |
| The policies presuppose substantial increases in staffing and resources for EU police and border agencies and the ceding of national authority over borders to the same EU agencies, none of which is proceeding quickly. Any summit decision must be unanimous under EU rules, unlike decisions taken at the level of ministers. | The policies presuppose substantial increases in staffing and resources for EU police and border agencies and the ceding of national authority over borders to the same EU agencies, none of which is proceeding quickly. Any summit decision must be unanimous under EU rules, unlike decisions taken at the level of ministers. |
| The Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia voted against a mandatory quota on Tuesday, while Poland deserted its regional allies to side with a decision pushed by Germany and France. | The Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia voted against a mandatory quota on Tuesday, while Poland deserted its regional allies to side with a decision pushed by Germany and France. |
| The defeated four countries expressed resentment at what they perceive as western – and especially German – bullying. Slovakian and Czech politicians reacted with anger to a move they claim will alter the fabric of European society, though on Wednesday the Czech government said it was not likely to challenge the quotas. | The defeated four countries expressed resentment at what they perceive as western – and especially German – bullying. Slovakian and Czech politicians reacted with anger to a move they claim will alter the fabric of European society, though on Wednesday the Czech government said it was not likely to challenge the quotas. |
| The Slovakian prime minister, Robert Fico, however, vowed to defy it. “As long as I am prime minister, mandatory quotas will not be implemented on Slovak territory,” he told MPs in Bratislava. | |
| The EU commission vice-president, Frans Timmermans, urged the dissenting member states to respect the EU’s decision. “In the European Union, a treaty-based organisation, a decision is a decision regardless of the way you voted,” he said. “The decision is legal, it’s valid and it binds all members.” | The EU commission vice-president, Frans Timmermans, urged the dissenting member states to respect the EU’s decision. “In the European Union, a treaty-based organisation, a decision is a decision regardless of the way you voted,” he said. “The decision is legal, it’s valid and it binds all members.” |
| Overnight on Tuesday, a single, narrow border crossing between Serbia and Croatia was opened for passenger traffic, but cargo trucks remained blocked in a deepening dispute between the former Yugoslav republics over the flow of migrants across their joint frontier. | Overnight on Tuesday, a single, narrow border crossing between Serbia and Croatia was opened for passenger traffic, but cargo trucks remained blocked in a deepening dispute between the former Yugoslav republics over the flow of migrants across their joint frontier. |
| Serbia has set a midnight deadline for Croatia to lift a blockade on cargo traffic from Serbia, imposed on Monday in retaliation for Serbia directing the flow of migrants across the Croatian border. | Serbia has set a midnight deadline for Croatia to lift a blockade on cargo traffic from Serbia, imposed on Monday in retaliation for Serbia directing the flow of migrants across the Croatian border. |
| Croatia had already closed seven of eight border crossings to traffic, and late on Tuesday the eighth was closed by protesting truck drivers. | Croatia had already closed seven of eight border crossings to traffic, and late on Tuesday the eighth was closed by protesting truck drivers. |
| More than 30,000 migrants, many of them Syrian refugees, have entered Croatia from Serbia since Tuesday last week, when Hungary barred their entry to the EU by sealing its southern border with Serbia with a metal fence. | More than 30,000 migrants, many of them Syrian refugees, have entered Croatia from Serbia since Tuesday last week, when Hungary barred their entry to the EU by sealing its southern border with Serbia with a metal fence. |
| They are being bussed by Serbia direct to the Croatian border, having entered Serbia from Macedonia, and trekking through fields beyond the official border crossings. Croatia says it cannot cope with the numbers, saying Serbia should also send people to Hungary and Romania. | They are being bussed by Serbia direct to the Croatian border, having entered Serbia from Macedonia, and trekking through fields beyond the official border crossings. Croatia says it cannot cope with the numbers, saying Serbia should also send people to Hungary and Romania. |
| The UN says almost 480,000 people have arrived by boat in Europe so far this year. | The UN says almost 480,000 people have arrived by boat in Europe so far this year. |