EU leaders meeting in Brussels abandoned an attempt to forge a common position on Europe's migration crisis in the early hours of this morning following last minute objections by Hungary and Poland.
Leaders had hoped to endorse an agreement on migration reached earlier this month by justice ministers, but the final text was scuppered by Hungary and Poland over the procedure used.
Irregular migration into Europe has returned as a deeply polarising political issue, and the capsizing of a boat in Greek waters with the loss of hundreds of lives this month was a shocking reminder of the human toll.
Since 2015, the EU has struggled to come up with a plan that would share the burden faced by member states like Italy and Greece who take in the vast majority of migrants crossing from Africa and the Middle East.
On 8 June, however, EU justice ministers reached agreement on what is called the EU Migration Pact.
In simple terms, the pact would see stricter procedures at Europe’s external borders for migrants deemed unlikely to qualify as refugees, and give reception countries greater leeway to return migrants.
At the same time other member states would have the choice of either taking in migrants, to share the burden, or to pay into a common EU fund designed to strengthen the EU’s external borders and to support developing countries.
The pact was adopted under the so-called qualified majority voting system. However, Poland and Hungary complained that the migration issue should be dealt with by consensus.
When leaders attempted last night to endorse the Migration Pact the text was blocked by Hungary and Poland. Diplomats accused Warsaw and Budapest of trying to reverse a decision that was properly taken under EU rules.
Ireland has a choice to opt into the system, but has chosen not to.
