Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Thursday said that agreements on migration similar to the one struck between the EU and Turkey could be applied elsewhere.
In March 2016, the EU and Turkey reached an agreement to stop irregular migration through the Aegean Sea, and improve the conditions of more than 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkey.
The EU pledged €6 billion ($7.44 billion) in funding for the refugees, and promised to mobilize the second €3 billion ($3.72 billion) tranche by the end of 2018.
Speaking before an EU summit on migration, Rutte said that he sympathizes with Italy “who shares the migration burden alone.”
Rutte pointed that while he does not expect “a complete agreement” on migration, important “first steps” must be taken.
Leaders of 28 EU member states are gathering in Brussels on Thursday for a two-day summit that German Chancellor Angela Merkel described as "make or break" for the union. The leaders will focus on the refugee crisis and proposals for an EU-wide asylum.
EU leaders meet in Brussels for two days of talks on migration that German Chancellor Angela Merkel described as "make or break" for the union.
They will also discuss security, trans-Atlantic trade and their troubled ties with U.S. President Donald Trump, economic sanctions on Russia, the bloc's next long-term budget from 2021, the euro zone reform and Brexit, among others.
