EU migrant crisis "absolute priority" for Dutch presidency

Europe's migrant crisis will have "top priority" during the Dutch presidency of the European Union (EU), said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Wednesday in Strasbourg.

"We must meet this challenge before Spring," he told reporters following a debate in the European Parliament(EP)'s first plenary session of 2016.

"We have much work ahead, and we must approach this challenge on all fronts at the same time," he added.

During the debate, Rutte insisted that the EU needed to achieve "a significant reduction in the flow of refugees within the next six to eight weeks".

"The current numbers aren't sustainable," he said. "We are running out of time."

Rutte added it was imperative that agreements with Turkey over migrant flows were applied as soon as possible to ease pressure on the EU's external borders, something that leaders of the EP's political groups have already urged.

Despite a plan of action signed between Brussels and Ankara in November last year, which provides for 3 billion euros (3.27 billion U.S. dollars) in aid to Turkish authorities in exchange for their commitment to exert better control over their country's borders and to cooperate in the fight against people smugglers, migration flows to the EU from Turkey have not let up.

"We must also improve the implementation of migrant 'hot-spots' and improve the registration of refugees," Rutte continued.

To this end "Cooperation with Greece, as well as with Lebanon and Jordan must be strengthened," he said.

"We must achieve concrete results and make sure they are visible to counter growing scepticism throughout Europe," the Dutch leader told MEPs.

In a clear message to EU member states which refuse to abide by the terms of the relocation process and redistribution of refugees, Rutte said, "Keeping promises and sticking to agreements should be the new normal in Europe. A deal is a deal."

But at the same time he insisted that refugees should understand that they cannot choose their destination within the EU.

"If the EU tells you to go to Lithuania, you must go to Lithuania," he emphasised.

As to the possibility of a so-called "Brexit" (Britain is to vote in a referendum on whether to remain an EU member), Rutte said he would do "everything in my power" to help Britain remain in the EU.

Other priorities of the new presidency include growth and employment, enhancing the stability of the eurozone, seizing opportunities in the internal market, including the digital and service sectors, and cutting back "excessive regulations that restrict people and companies". Endit