Reuters revealed that the European Commission is planning to propose a plan for the relocation of 40,000 asylum seekers who have arrived in Greece and Italy over the last years to various countries across Europe. The reason behind the proposal is that both countries are considered to be in an emergency situation due to the mass arrival of migrants leaving the war-stricken areas of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
According to the news agency, the draft proposal will be submitted before the European Commission on Wednesday and will require a majority vote. “The Commission has also set a quota system, based on a country’s size and economic health, for those resettled migrants as well as for those relocated within the EU,” noted Reuters.
The mass arrival of migrants and asylum seekers in Italy and Greece has caused the need for a coordinated plan in order to cope with the influx. Last year, a total of 600,000 people requested asylum in the European Union. The European Commission has yet to provide an exact number for the proposed relocation. “The 40,000 figure could have been set to guarantee acceptance after some EU states, notably France, had initially baulked at the idea of opening their doors to migrants.”
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
