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EU determined to maintain passport-free Schengen area: Juncker

Xinhua, January 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday reaffirmed the Commission's determination to do everything necessary to maintain the Schengen area of passport-free travel.

"Waiting at an internal border would cost every lorry 55 euros (60.25 U.S. dollars) every hour," Juncker said at his New Year's press conference.

"I cannot accept that the relocation of 160,000 refugees is not implemented," he added, calling on EU member states to respect their commitment to international humanitarian conventions.

Juncker also underlined his determination to focus on the Commission's number one priority of growth and jobs.

He called on member states to pursue the strategy set out by the Commission a year ago, based on structural reform, fiscal responsibility and strategic investment.

A number of measures had been introduced by the EU to deal with the refugee crisis, including the adoption of two emergency schemes to relocate 160,000 people in need of international protection from countries most affected to other EU member states. Endit