The European Parliament has put talks on hold regarding the EU's proposed migration pact because of a standoff between member States. Poland and Hungary in particular have stood up against the majority of the bloc.
The process to approve a new Pact on migration and asylum is facing new complications after the European Parliament decided to suspend negotiations on two files in the proposed pact - regarding a European database and the joint screening of arrivals - due to an impasse between member states over the crisis-management regulation.
The draft text, which covers the redistribution of migrants following peaks in arrivals, is currently vetoed by Poland, Hungary and, to date Germany. These vetoes have halted the approval of the directive by a qualified majority.
The decision to halt negotiations was taken by members of the European Parliament in the Asylum Contact Group; a group of MEPs on the Justice and Civil Liberties Committee which lead the Parliament's talks on EU immigration and asylum reform, just as the permanent representatives of the 27 member States were gathered to discuss the dossier on migration.
Despite the halt in one area, it is hoped progress can still be made in other areas. A request has been sent by Italy, France and the Netherlands to the current holders of the EU Presidency --Spain, ahead of the meeting of interior ministers, scheduled for September 28. They hope that the meeting will host special discussions about the plan announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on her recent visit to Lampedusa. It is hoped that at that meeting, the Memorandum of agreement with Tunisia and the situation in Italy regarding migrant arrivals will be examined closely.
Attacks on 10-point Lampedusa plan
The majority of those present in the parliament welcomed it while also stressing the need to overcome the stalemate on the Pact on migration and asylum.
However, Poland and Hungary also opposed the majority at a recent meeting of ambassadors. The Polish government led by Mateusz Morawiecki, which is in the midst of an electoral campaign, is continuing to attack the 10-point plan proposed by von der Leyen for Lampedusa.
Meanwhile Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban has once again stressed that the "pressure of illegal migration is increasing" along the borders of Hungary "due to Brussels' ruinous policies," with 125,000 attempts to illegally cross the border reportedly blocked by Budapest's authorities.
'Sophia mission failed due to disputes between the 27'
Next week, the EU Home Affairs Council will register "substantial change" regarding the pact on migration.
The theme of migration is also likely to dominate an informal meeting of EU leaders in Granada, where Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni could once again propose a joint naval mission to halt departures.
"We don't comment on proposals emerging at a national level," said a Commission source. "Any decision on these missions is in the hands of member States and must be taken unanimously by the 27."
The Commission source also noted that the EU's Operation Sophia naval mission failed due to a lack of means and, in particular, due to disagreements between member States regarding rescue operations at sea. EU border agency Frontex meanwhile is helping Italy. The agency has already sent 40 members of its staff to Lampedusa while saying it is willing to provide further support with the objective of speeding up repatriation activities.