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| European Union Asks Member Countries to Accept Quotas of Migrants | European Union Asks Member Countries to Accept Quotas of Migrants |
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| BRUSSELS — The European Union authorities appealed to the bloc’s member states on Wednesday to accept quotas of migrants to relieve the burden on southern states like Italy and Greece that are the main landing points for the surging numbers of people crossing the Mediterranean Sea. | |
| The proposal by the European Commission, the Brussels-based executive arm of the European Union, is a response to concerns that the bloc’s southern coastal states could become overwhelmed by the inflow of migrants making the dangerous crossing in often rickety and unseaworthy vessels. | |
| The recent deaths of thousands of migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean prompted the bloc to draft the emergency response to stave off a worsening of the humanitarian crisis. | The recent deaths of thousands of migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean prompted the bloc to draft the emergency response to stave off a worsening of the humanitarian crisis. |
| But a large number of member states including Britain, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Latvia have already pushed back against the idea of mandatory quotas. In an effort to make the plans more acceptable, the commission said any migrants who did not meet asylum criteria would not be allowed to stay. | |
| “Everyone who needs sanctuary should find it in Europe,” said Frans Timmermans, the first vice president of the commission. “But those who have no justified claim should be quickly identified and returned to their home country,” he said. | “Everyone who needs sanctuary should find it in Europe,” said Frans Timmermans, the first vice president of the commission. “But those who have no justified claim should be quickly identified and returned to their home country,” he said. |
| The British and Irish have the option not to participate in the mandatory quota system under existing agreements with the European Union, but others, including the Czechs and other Eastern and Central Europeans, would need to try to mount enough opposition to block approval. The Danes are exempted from participation in most European Union asylum rules. | The British and Irish have the option not to participate in the mandatory quota system under existing agreements with the European Union, but others, including the Czechs and other Eastern and Central Europeans, would need to try to mount enough opposition to block approval. The Danes are exempted from participation in most European Union asylum rules. |
| The first quota is an emergency plan to temporarily relocate 40,000 migrants from Italy and Greece to other states across the European Union during the next two years under a mandatory system. Those migrants, expected to be from Syria and Eritrea, would remain in Europe while they underwent asylum review to determine whether they could stay. | The first quota is an emergency plan to temporarily relocate 40,000 migrants from Italy and Greece to other states across the European Union during the next two years under a mandatory system. Those migrants, expected to be from Syria and Eritrea, would remain in Europe while they underwent asylum review to determine whether they could stay. |
| A second quota plan would resettle 20,000 refugees — these could include Syrians from camps in Lebanon and Turkey — over two years across the European Union. Candidates for the resettlement program would be identified by the United Nations refugee authorities. Participation in that system is expected to be voluntary for European Union countries. | A second quota plan would resettle 20,000 refugees — these could include Syrians from camps in Lebanon and Turkey — over two years across the European Union. Candidates for the resettlement program would be identified by the United Nations refugee authorities. Participation in that system is expected to be voluntary for European Union countries. |