The report from Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner has been delayed for several weeks, but was finally presented on Tuesday afternoon. It risks becoming political dynamite, especially because of the “solidarity pool” that will now be set up with proposals for how the different EU countries can help each other in crisis situations.
However, exactly who is proposed to do what is not yet public.
"All countries are feeling the pressure from illegal migration, in one way or another. Our focus now must be on keeping arrival numbers down and focusing on returns," Brunner said at a brief press conference in Brussels.
According to the report, the migration pressure is particularly heavy on Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Italy, all of which will be able to request help from other countries.
Sweden is one of nine countries not mentioned at all. The solidarity proposals will now be handled by the EU member states in the Council of Ministers.
Wiktor Nummelin/TT
Facts: EU migration report
TT
With the EU's new asylum and migration pact, the European Commission will produce an annual report on the migration situation, with proposals on how countries can help each other by redistributing asylum seekers or providing money and personnel.
This year, Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Spain are considered to be under such pressure that they need help.
A further twelve countries – including Finland and the Baltic states – are considered to be at risk of severe migratory pressure. Three of them, plus three more countries, mainly in Eastern Europe, are considered to be exposed to such a “significant” migratory situation that they can therefore apply to be exempted from contributing to solidarity.
The only countries not mentioned at all in this context are Sweden, Portugal, Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Denmark and Luxembourg.
