"Refugee crisis will not end before root causes are addressed"

The refugee crisis requires a radical strengthening of the EU migration system and a coordinated European response, the EU Commission said Wednesday. “While a reduction in flows is highly desirable in view of often overwhelmed national and local authorities, there should be no illusions that the refugee crisis will end before its root causes – instability, war and terror in Europe’s immediate neighbourhood, notably continued war and atrocities in Syria – are addressed in a definite manner,” the Commission said in a press release.

“Getting back to an orderly management of flows is the most pressing priority today”, EU Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said. “The EU Commission is supporting member states in delivering a coordinated European response, including in terms of substantial financial and practical support,” he said. See also our cepInput on the empirical and legal aspects of the refugee crisis.