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Inside The EU's Deal To Help Refugees

European leaders dine on delicacies while discussing the futures of refugees and migrants, many of whom are struggling for food.

06:32, UK,Thursday 24 September 2015

Mark Stone

Europe Correspondent

They met at 6pm. An odd time to begin a meeting you might think. But this was a emergency summit. Trying to find a window in the diary of every EU leader isn't easy. Last night was the best option.

It took some time coming, given the crisis (an over-used word, but appropriate here) that has been unfolding across Europe over the past few months.

Hundreds of thousands of migrants, most from Syria according to the UN, have walked into Europe in search of safety and a future.

The meeting was billed as a 'working dinner', and for several hours we heard more about the food than their solutions for the migrant crisis.

An aide to a Czech minister tweeted the menu Pic: @CZSecStateEU

An aide to one minister tweeted the menu: Beetroot Carpaccio with Smoked Eel followed by Guinea Fowl and then Crunchy Chocolate and Praline Cake. A little inappropriate perhaps, given the difficulties facing the migrants they are discussing.

After a few hours though, a draft agreement was leaked. It looked promising but then they had set the bar pretty low.

An couple of hours later, at 1am, they'd reached a deal.

The Italian Prime Minister was the first with an upbeat reaction: "For the first time, the migrant question is not simply a question of the single member states. It's a question about all European people and particularly the European institution. For this reason we are absolutely satisfied," he said.

Firstly, they agreed that they must recognise solidarity and responsibility while at the same time upholding, applying and implementing existing rules. This is the central dilemma for Europe - how to balance the European spirit of helping those fleeing war and persecution but at the same time not allowing EU rules about migration and border control to be entirely disregarded.

They agreed on an extra €1bn to help those refugees in camps in the Middle East - those who have not yet left for Europe.

They pledged to reinforce dialogue with Turkey: not part of EU and so not really part of conversation at the moment.

And then the crux: strengthening external border controls.

EU Council President Donald Tusk explained: "It is clear that the greatest tide of refugees and migrants is yet to come. Therefore we need to correct the policy of open doors and windows. Now the focus should be on the proper protection of our external borders and on external assistance to refugees and the countries in our neighbourhood."

For weeks now, border guards on the EU's external borders have been utterly outnumbered by the human tide. Registering and fingerprinting each of those who cross into the EU has been impossible.

And so ministers pledged that there will be more personnel and equipment for the EU's border police at certain hotspots. Staffing at asylum centres will be increased to process claims faster.

It all sounds great but it's short on detail. Will police forces and militaries work outside their own country? Hungary had suggested this as an option. And under what rules? None of that has been revealed.

The pledges look positive on paper but with so many migrants and refugees already in Europe, and a door that's now jammed wide open, it's hard to see quite what they will actually do.

#refugees #europeanleaders

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