German domestic politics has taken over the EU migration agenda, as select leaders meet for a special summit on Sunday (24 June).
The EU needs to stop asylum seekers moving around inside Europe, from frontline places like Greece or Italy to wealthier regions like Bavaria, in southern Germany, according to Sunday's declaration, leaked to on Thursday.
"There is no right to freely choose the member state in which asylum is sought," the four-page text said."We see a great need to significantly reduce secondary movements," it said.
The summit, called by commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, comes in reaction to an ultimatum by Bavarian president and German interior minister Horst Seehofer.
German chancellor Angela Merkel has two weeks to get an EU deal on stopping migrants or he will stop them at the Bavarian border himself, Seehofer has said in a rebellion that could unravel her coalition government.
His threat came in the run-up to Bavarian elections in October, where Seehofer, who has also campaigned by meeting Austrian and Italian elected populist politicians, will try to retain his seat against party rivals.
It also came amid the lowest numbers of migrant arrivals (just 40,000 or so in the EU this year), highlighting the political nature of his motives.
The Austrian, Bulgarian, Dutch, French, Greek, Italian, and Spanish leaders are to agree Sunday's statement with Merkel, before the 28 EU heads meet in Brussels next week to discuss the issue.
The EU should create a "flexible joint take-back mechanism close to the internal borders", with ID checks at bus stations, train stops, and airports to turn more people back to where they first entered Europe, the draft declaration added.
Several member states, including Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, and Sweden are already doing that.
But "unilateral and uncoordinated measures would not only be less effective, but would also jeopardise European integration and the achievements of Schengen," the draft text said, referring to the treaty which governs EU free movement.
The declaration, which has no legal status, could help Merkel and Seehofer to make peace without losing face, German pundits have said..... | http://bit.ly/2McPS3F
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