Greece's Emergency Migration Plan Gains Commission Backing at EU Summit That Otherwise Ends in Deadlock

Greece's proposal for an EU emergency mechanism that would let frontline states suspend asylum processing during mass arrivals won the European Commission's backing at a summit that ended without deals on the budget, energy or Ukraine funding.

Prime

Under the proposal, countries facing exceptional pressure could pause asylum applications and carry out mass returns under a European framework.

Nothing has passed.

Mr. Mitsotakis said only that the idea has support at the European level, and it still needs legislation.

The migration debate was the summit's sharpest. Denmark, Italy and Poland criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over Ceuta and pressed for tougher wording, including a swipe at Spain's plan to legalize 600,000 undocumented migrants.

A draft text called for avoiding "measures that could create incentives for irregular migration," Euronews reported.

Greece also floated a second idea, a "European Spectrum Union," Reuters reported.

It would use part of future revenue from national 6G spectrum auctions, potentially €12 billion to €15 billion initially, for EU priorities.

Elsewhere, leaders failed to agree on the 2028-2034 budget. Germany and other budget hawks demand deep cuts, while Greece and 15 other "Friends of Cohesion" refuse to see farm and regional funds trimmed.

Leaders plan to reconvene in November, aiming for a deal by year-end.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought another €70 billion for next year. Leaders reaffirmed support but not how to pay.

They also called for stronger trade defenses against China, and acknowledged high energy costs without settling how to ease them.

By Kostas Efthymiadis

Διαβάστε περισσότερα στο iefimerida.gr

Greece's proposal for an EU emergency mechanism that would let frontline states suspend asylum processing during mass arrivals won the European Commission's backing at a summit that ended without deals on the budget, energy or Ukraine funding.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed the acceptance, citing Greece's 2020 Evros border crisis and this year's Ceuta crisis in Spain.

Under the proposal, countries facing exceptional pressure could pause asylum applications and carry out mass returns under a European framework.

Nothing has passed.

Mr. Mitsotakis said only that the idea has support at the European level, and it still needs legislation.

The migration debate was the summit's sharpest. Denmark, Italy and Poland criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over Ceuta and pressed for tougher wording, including a swipe at Spain's plan to legalize 600,000 undocumented migrants.

A draft text called for avoiding "measures that could create incentives for irregular migration," Euronews reported.

Greece also floated a second idea, a "European Spectrum Union," Reuters reported.

It would use part of future revenue from national 6G spectrum auctions, potentially €12 billion to €15 billion initially, for EU priorities.

Elsewhere, leaders failed to agree on the 2028-2034 budget. Germany and other budget hawks demand deep cuts, while Greece and 15 other "Friends of Cohesion" refuse to see farm and regional funds trimmed.

Leaders plan to reconvene in November, aiming for a deal by year-end.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought another €70 billion for next year. Leaders reaffirmed support but not how to pay.

They also called for stronger trade defenses against China, and acknowledged high energy costs without settling how to ease them.

By Kostas Efthymiadis

Διαβάστε περισσότερα στο iefimerida.gr