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Migrant crisis: EU and Turkey to hold special summit in March Migrant crisis: Austria asylum cap begins despite EU anger
(about 2 hours later)
The EU is to hold a special summit with Turkey on the migration crisis in early March, officials have announced. Austria's daily cap on the number of migrants and refugees allowed into the country has come into force.
"The EU-Turkey action plan is our priority," European Council President Donald Tusk said after late-night talks at an EU gathering in Brussels. Just 80 asylum applications will be accepted per day at Austria's southern border, after which it will shut.
The European migration commissioner has described the measure as "plainly incompatible" with European Union law.
EU leaders have announced they will hold a summit in early March with Turkey to attempt to seek fresh solutions to the crisis.
"The EU-Turkey action plan is our priority," European Council President Donald Tusk said at an EU gathering in Brussels.
The EU has pledged €3bn (£2.3bn; $3.3bn) to Turkey in return for housing refugees on its territory.The EU has pledged €3bn (£2.3bn; $3.3bn) to Turkey in return for housing refugees on its territory.
More than a million people arrived in the EU in 2015, creating Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War Two.More than a million people arrived in the EU in 2015, creating Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War Two.
EU migration: Crisis in seven chartsEU migration: Crisis in seven charts
The majority have headed for Germany via Austria, which saw 90,000 asylum claims last year, equivalent to 1% of its population.The majority have headed for Germany via Austria, which saw 90,000 asylum claims last year, equivalent to 1% of its population.
In response, Austria is introducing a daily cap of 80 asylum claims from Friday on migrants arriving on its southern border despite a warning that quotas do not comply with EU legislation. Vienna says the daily limit is needed because an EU plan for Turkey to restrict the number of migrants leaving for Europe is not yet working.
It is also planning to limit the number of migrants transiting Austria to reach another country to 3,200 per day.
The EU's migration commissioner, Dimitris Avramopoulos, has written to Austria's interior minister, saying the cap is plainly incompatible with Austria's obligations under EU and international law.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker criticised the Austrian move, remarking that "solo national approaches were not recommended".European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker criticised the Austrian move, remarking that "solo national approaches were not recommended".
The influx of migrants from Turkey has continued through the winter.The influx of migrants from Turkey has continued through the winter.
'Dysfunctional'
On Thursday, about 900 migrants were rescued near the Greek island of Lesbos, the EU border agency Frontex said. More than 83,000 people have reached the Greek islands since the start of 2015, according to the UN.On Thursday, about 900 migrants were rescued near the Greek island of Lesbos, the EU border agency Frontex said. More than 83,000 people have reached the Greek islands since the start of 2015, according to the UN.
'Clear danger' The spokesman for the United Nations Refugee agency in Geneva, William Spindler, said he understood why countries were acting independently but that it would not solve the problem:
"We are very sympathetic to the situation of Austria but the fact is that the system in Europe at the moment is dysfunctional and as a result some countries have started to take unilateral decisions," he told Newsday on the BBC World Service.
"And this is not going to address the problems faced but only shift them to other countries because the responsibility for protecting refugees cannot be borne only by a few countries."
Mr Tusk said a "European consensus" on how to tackle the refugee crisis was needed.Mr Tusk said a "European consensus" on how to tackle the refugee crisis was needed.
"We must do all we can to succeed. This is why we have the intention to organise a special meeting with Turkey at the beginning of March," he said."We must do all we can to succeed. This is why we have the intention to organise a special meeting with Turkey at the beginning of March," he said.
Mr Tusk said he would now hold a series of bilateral meetings with EU leaders to further discuss the issue. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had been expected to travel to Brussels to take part in discussion on the migration crisis on Thursday - but he had to cancel his trip due to a deadly bomb attack in Ankara.
He said decisions must ultimately be made by each EU member - but stressed that such moves must be guided by common EU laws.
Echoing his words, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU-Turkey action plan "is something we will be concentrating on".
She said the number of migrants trying to reach Europe had dropped in recent months, but warned that there was a "clear danger" of a new influx in the spring because of warmer weather.
Ms Merkel pointed out that Austria also backed the EU-Turkey plan, despite its new quota rule that only 80 asylum applications would be accepted each day, and a maximum of 3,200 people would be allowed to travel through Austria.
EU officials believe the measure is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights as well as the Geneva Conventions, although Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said government lawyers had taken that into account.
Correspondents say there are signs of serious divisions between EU members on the migrant issue.
The Czech Minister for European Affairs, Tomas Prouza, tweeted that "well balanced and direct draft conclusions on #migration being taken apart over the last two hours".
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had been expected to take part in the Brussels' summit on Thursday - but he had to cancel his trip due to a deadly bomb attack in Ankara.
Turkey is home to nearly three million refugees, most of them from Syria.Turkey is home to nearly three million refugees, most of them from Syria.
Many of them pay smugglers thousands of dollars to make the crossing to Greece. They then head north, trying to reach Germany and Scandinavia.Many of them pay smugglers thousands of dollars to make the crossing to Greece. They then head north, trying to reach Germany and Scandinavia.
Teaching migrants how to behaveTeaching migrants how to behave
Migrants feel chill of tighter bordersMigrants feel chill of tighter borders
Europe's migrant crisisEurope's migrant crisis
A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.