The European Commission has issued sweeping and controversial new proposals on how to manage the refugee crisis.
The commission also gave a qualified green light to liberalising the visa regime for Turkish citizens as part of the EU-Turkey deal on managing migration flows from the Middle East.
Brussels has threatened that EU countries which refuse to take a redistribution of refugees would face a fine of €250,000 for every asylum seeker not taken in.
The two separate proposals are designed to overhaul the EU's entire asylum system in the wake of the gravest refugee crisis since World War II.
The commission has said that the principle of the so-called Dublin Regulation, whereby refugees must seek asylum in the first EU member state they enter, would remain in place.
However, once a frontline country, normally Greece or Italy, was overwhelmed by the numbers entering, then a system redistributing refugees to other member states would kick in.
Under an agreed formula, those member states which have fewer refugees, would have to accept more from Greece or Italy in order to alleviate the burden or face a €250,000 fine per asylum seeker.
This is almost certain to put countries such as Poland, Hungary and Slovakia on a collision course with Brussels.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has announced a referendum on an earlier, more modest plan to relocate refugees from Greece and Italy to other member states.
European Commission Vice-President Franz Timmermans warned: "If there's no solidarity on the refugee issue, there will be no solidarity elsewhere."
Due to Ireland's opt out from EU law governing asylum rules, Ireland will not be bound by either of today's new measures.
It is understood the government could decide to relax visa restrictions for Turkish citizens separately, but only if the UK takes the same step.
This is due to the common travel area between the two countries.
On the question of the tough new elements of the Dublin Regulation, EU sources confirmed that Ireland, the UK and Denmark will be exempt, and will instead still be bound by the outgoing Dublin Regulation.
This is due to various opt-outs that the three member states have agreed.
Under the visa liberalisation plan for Turkey, the Commission said that visa free travel to the EU's Schengen area would be possible if Turkey implements the final five benchmarks agreed to allow for liberalisation of the visa arrnagements.
One of the key benchmarks is that Turkey must implement a system of biometric passports.
The commission also said there would be an emergency brake if member states say that a significant number of Turkish visitors were abusing the new regime by out-staying their entry visas.
Currently, Turkey is the only EU candidate country whose citizens must apply for a visa to travel to the Schengen area.
The new offer for Turkey is likely to face stiff opposition from a number of EU member states and the European Parliament.
