EU calls for relocation of 30,000 asylum seekers to ease pressure on Southern states
The European Union has urged its member states to help relocate at least 30,000 asylum seekers across the bloc in a bid to reduce the growing strain on countries along the Mediterranean, including Italy, Spain, Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration.
The appeal, announced Tuesday by the European Commission, aims to advance the implementation of the EU’s new migration and asylum framework adopted in 2024. The system introduces a “solidarity mechanism” requiring all member states to share responsibility for managing migration flows.
Under the plan, EU countries must either accept a designated number of asylum seekers from frontline states or provide a financial contribution of €20,000 (approximately $23,000) per person instead.
According to the European Commission statement cited by AFP and Daily Sabah, Mediterranean nations continue to bear a disproportionate burden due to increased sea arrivals and ongoing search and rescue operations. “Greece and Cyprus are under migratory pressure due to the disproportionate level of arrivals over the last year,” the statement said. “Spain and Italy are also under pressure following search and rescue operations in the same period.”
The proposal — delayed by a month amid negotiations between EU capitals — will serve as the basis for determining how many asylum seekers each country will host or how much financial support they will provide.
While some member states have already signaled their willingness to participate, others have ruled out taking in migrants and plan to contribute financially instead. The issue remains politically sensitive across Europe, where governments face growing domestic pressure to limit irregular migration.
Under the new system, the annual relocation target is set at a minimum of 30,000 migrants, though final figures are expected to be determined by the end of December.
