European Commission Statement following the vote of the European Parliament in favour of an emergency relocation mechanism for a further 120,000 refugees

Today, the European Parliament has taken an important step by voting in favour of the Commission’s proposal for relocation from Italy, Greece and Hungary of 120,000 people in clear need of international protection. The Commission welcomes this vote and is particularly grateful to Parliament for its fast reaction, using an emergency procedure to secure a vote in just a week after the proposal was first made. We now urge Member States to take the necessary decisions at the extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council on 22 September 2015. If the Council agrees on the Commission proposals on Tuesday, the Commission stands ready to work with Member States and the relevant European Agencies to relocate refugees immediately, and reduce the pressure on the most affected Member States. The full statement can be found here.