Off the wire
• Urgent: Investigators raid Volkswagen headquarters  • Result of China U22 against Egypt U22 at friendly  • Indonesian administration sees decreasing public satisfaction: survey  • 1st LD Writethru: Investigators raid Volkswagen headquarters  • Belarusian author wins 2015 Nobel Prize in literature  • Syrian army kills 32 rebels in broad offensive in Hama  • Roundup: On World Sight Day: Sudan successful at reducing numbers of blind people  • Rising star Muguruza makes WTA Finals at China Open  • Bulgarian, Macedonian presidents call for joint action to deal with crises  • Philippine gov't disagrees with UN arbitration group regarding Arroyo's detention  
You are here: 　 Home

EU ministers approve additional money to tackle refugee crisis

Xinhua, October 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Union member states' home affairs ministers on Thursday gather in Luxembourg for a regular meeting, where they approved additional financial assistance from the 2015 EU budget in response to the migration crisis.

In a fast-track procedure the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the EU accepted draft amending budget no. 7 for 2015 which strengthened the EU support under the European agenda on migration by 401.3 million euros (451.3 million U.S. dollars) in commitments and 57.0 million euros in payments.

The additional money would include an increase of 300 million euros in commitments for the European Neighborhood Instrument to provide assistance to third countries hosting refugees from Syria.

Also there would be an increase of 100 million euros in commitments to finance emergency assistance provided under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, and the Internal Security Fund.

There would be another 55.7 million euros in payments for humanitarian aid.

The ministers' decision for budget amending still needs the approval of the European Parliament.

The two-day ministers' meeting was scheduled to focus on several issues related to migration, including future management of EU external borders and of the return policy. On Friday, the meeting will be centered on data protection.

A conference on the Eastern Mediterranean - Western Balkans route will take place in the margins of the Justice and Home Affairs Council later Thursday evening, which both ministers of foreign affairs and ministers of home affairs are expected to attend. Endit