EU approves draft overhaul of migration policy

The major change, if adopted, could see the return of migrant hubs and EU countries striking bilateral agreements with non-member states to facilitate deportation of rejected asylum seekers.

European Union officials were on Monday finalizing a major overhaul of its migration system including streamlined deportations and increased detentions, as the issue has taken on increasing importance in public debate. Ministers from the 27 nation-bloc met in Brussels days after the Trump administration published a blistering critique of the bloc's migration policy.

The fierce debate within the EU over that policy long precedes the denunciation from Washington.

Yet the ministers quickly agreed during the start of the meeting to a “safe third country” concept and a list of safe countries of origin, said Rasmus Stoklund, Denmark's Minister for Immigration and Integration. Both of those mean that EU nations can deny residency and deport migrants because they either hail from a safe country or could apply for asylum in one and not within the EU.

The ministers will continue to discuss setting up a “solidarity pool” to share costs of hosting refugees between member nations.

The solidarity pool is designed to collect financial support from across the EU for countries facing greater migratory pressure like Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Spain in southern Europe.