European Council: Main results

EU News 285/2015

European Council
15/10/2015
Brussels

EU leaders met on Thursday 15 October 2015 against the background of the migration and refugee crisis in Europe. The European Council was the fourth in only six months to focus on the response to the crisis.

Migration

The European Union and its member states are intensifying efforts to establish an effective, humanitarian and safe European migration policy. EU leaders agreed on the political direction and priorities for the next steps:

- cooperation with the countries of origin and transit to stem the migratory flows: EU leaders welcomed the agreement on a EU-Turkey joint action plan and agreed to achieve concrete operational measures at the forthcoming Valletta Summit with African heads of state or government

- strengthening of the EU's external borders with an integrated border management system that will go beyond the Frontex mandate, and the addition of hundreds more border guards to secure the hotspot areas in Greece and Italy

- the issue of return and readmission

President Tusk also initiated a discussion on broader challenges for an EU migration policy in the medium to long term. EU leaders addressed the sensitive questions of the future of the Dublin regulation, the EU border guard system and the specific role of hotspots.

(...)

Referendum in the UK

EU leaders were informed about the state of play and the next steps on the (in/out) referendum. Prime Minister Cameron is committed to setting out the UK's specific concerns in writing by early November.

Source and additional information:
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/european-council/2015/10/15-16/

European Council. Press conference. From left to right: Mr Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the European Commission; Mr Donald TUSK, President of the European Council. Shoot location: Brussels - BELGIUM Shoot date: 16/10/2015 Copyright: No commercial use. Credit 'The European Union' URL

 

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