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EU proposes new plan to tackle immigration challenges

Xinhua, May 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Commission on Wednesday proposed a new immigration plan which aims to tackle the challenges of migrants seeking illegal entry into Europe.

The so-called relocation scheme, an emergency response mechanism to assist Italy and Greece, is the one of the main contents of the new plan.

The two southern European countries have, in recent years, been overburdened by several thousands of migrants coming to their shores by way of the Mediterranean Sea as a result of the changing geopolitical climate.

According to the scheme, 40,000 people are to be relocated from Italy and Greece to other EU member states based on a distribution key over the next two years. The figure represents approximately 40 percent of the total number of asylum seekers in clear need of international protection who entered these countries in 2014.

The EU budget draft, also revealed Wednesday, made provisions for an extra 240 million euros (261 million U.S. dollars) in funding to support the scheme. Member states that relocate applicants in clear need of international protection will receive a 6,000-euro lump sum for each relocated person, under the Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund.

As well, greater efforts will be taken to ensure that all new arrivals in Italy and Greece have their fingerprints taken, according to EU rules.

Migration is one of the ten political priorities of the current European Commission. The European Agenda on Migration, adopted on May 13 this year, outlined the political guidelines of Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker regarding better managing migration. Endit