Germany, Sweden push for mandatory quotas to handle refugee influx

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and visiting Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven on Tuesday called for a reformed European asylum policy, which includes mandatory quotas for distributing refugees among European Union (EU) states.

The two leaders expressed support for a common European asylum system after their talks in Berlin. Merkel pointed out that such a system should not only exist on paper but also in practice.

"Dublin III is no longer fit for the challenges that we have to deal with," Merkel noted, saying Europe must discuss a new asylum policy, including a Europe-wide quota regulation in compliance with the national economic output and unemployment rate, in a bid to achieve a fair distribution of war refugees among all EU states.

In addition, Merkel called for a definition of safe countries of origin in the Western Balkans in order not to set "false incentives" for economic migrants.

For his part, Lofven said he and Merkel agreed to continue to push for a reformed European refugee policy. "All countries must take full responsibility to help people who have been displaced."

Currently, Sweden and Germany are the countries in the EU that take in the largest share of refugees. The two countries are receiving around 60 percent of all refugees coming from Syria. Endit