Migrant crisis: EU may opt for voluntary refugee quotas

EU justice ministers gather in Brussels on Tuesday for crucial talks on the refugee crisis amid increasing signals the European Commission’s mandatory relocation proposal for migrants will be replaced by a voluntary scheme.

EU ambassadors will also reconvene to try to forge a consensus, but a draft proposal circulating ahead of the meeting suggested member states would be free to choose whether to participate in the relocation scheme unveiled by Jean-Claude Juncker two weeks ago.

While ministers are likely to agree on other measures, such as the establishment of teams of EU officials to help certain member states deal with asylum applications, the rejection of a common mandatory quota system would be a blow to the European Commission.

Deeply divided

Its proposal to redistribute 120,000 asylum seekers arriving in Italy, Greece and Hungary across the bloc has been the only substantive EU-wide response to the refugee crisis that has overwhelmed EU policymakers and deeply divided the union.

Ireland is expected to participate in the relocation programme regardless of whether the EU scheme is mandatory or voluntary, though the participation rate of other member states could affect the number of refugees Ireland would be expected to accept.

German chancellor Angela Merkel warned of long negotiations when EU leaders meet on Wednesday evening for an emergency summit to discuss the continuing crisis. While the leaders are expected to sign off on any proposals agreed by justice ministers, they will also discuss more long-term measures.

Among the ideas under discussion last night was the possibility of member states offsetting their allocation of refugees by offering a financial payment.