EU Interior Ministers Adopt Plan on Relocation of 120 000 Refugees

At the extraordinary meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council of the European Union on Tuesday, the interior ministers of the member states adopted with a large majority the proposal of the European Commission for the relocation of 120 000 refugees.

The decision establishes temporary and exceptional relocation mechanism over two years from the frontline member states Italy and Greece and other member states directly affected by the refugee crisis to other member states.

The mechanism will be applicable to 120 000 people in clear need of international protection, who have arrived or are arriving on the territory of those member states as from six months before the entry into force until two years after the entry into force.

The decision provides for the relocation of 15 600 people from Italy and 50 400 persons from Greece.

The remaining 54 000 people will be relocated from Italy and Greece in the same proportion a year following the entry into force of the decision.

In case the European Commission considers that the functioning of the relocation mechanism needs to be adapted to the evolving situation or that a member state is faced with an emergency situation, it may submit a proposal to amend the decision.

The member states participating in the mechanism will be allocated EUR 6000 for each relocated person.

Denmark and the United Kingdom have opted out from this decision, while Ireland has expressed its intention to participate.

The controversial decision was adopted by majority voting rather than by unanimity as several member states have consistently opposed it.

The Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania voted against the mandatory quotas, while Finland abstained, the BBC informs.