Most migrants land first in Greece but, desperate to get to Germany and wealthier northern European countries, thousands have moved on rather than staying there to have their asylum applications processed as is required under EU rules.
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Countries also agreed to work together and with Frontex, the European Union border-management agency, to bolster controls and cooperation, including between Turkey and Bulgaria and between Greece and Macedonia.
“The immediate imperative is to provide shelter”, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said after chairing the often bad-tempered mini-summit of 11 regional leaders in Brussels. It is “unacceptable that in 2015 people are left fend for themselves, sleeping in fields and crossing rivers with water up to their chests in freezing temperatures”, he stressed.
Croatian police said Monday morning that more than 13,000 migrants arrived from Serbia in the past 24 hours, while Slovenian police reported almost 10,000 arrivals from Croatia in the same period.
Record numbers of refugees entered Croatia over the weekend – the largest amount since they started using the country as a transit route in mid-September.
Slovenia has asked Brussels for €140m, in addition to police back-up and logistical support, and says if no help emerges, it may build its own barrier along its border with Croatia.
“Europe has to show itself a continent of values and solidarity”, Merkel said, adding: “This evening was a building stone in the edifice”.
Among the main points of the agreement is Greece’s commitment to increase its reception capacity to 30,000 by the end of the year, and to support the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) in providing rent subsidies and programs for host families, which will aid in accommodating at least 20,000 more.
“Half is not enough, we need more”, said Juncker, warning that funding and experts are “crucially essential if we want operational decisions to be implemented”.
“If we don’t deliver concrete action, I believe Europe will start falling apart”, he told reporters.
Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar warned of dramatic consequences if Europe failed to resolve the crisis.
But no firm new measures on that front were agreed.
As they arrived at the hastily-organised meeting, a few leaders traded blame for the influx with their neighbours, with Greece targeted for the mismanagement of its porous island border. “The uncontrolled flow of people must be stopped”, he said.
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UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch said frustration was growing among those waiting to reach the countries they hope will offer them a safer life. Tents, blankets and heating equipment have been sent by the European Union to Croatia and Slovenia. They will establish a network for daily coordination “to achieve the gradual, controlled and orderly movement” of refugees along the route and increase the collection and sharing of refugee biometric information to track applications of those seeking refuge and asylum.
