MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The European Council will discuss the migration policy concerning relocation of undocumented migrants according to proposed last month by the EU body quota plan for refugees' adoption that took into account social and economic indicators in the EU member states. The EU leaders will also look into cooperation with countries of the migrants’ origin and discuss transit policy.
The set of measures is aimed at curbing loss of life of the migrants attempting to get to Europe from North Africa, crossing the Mediterranean. Nearly 2,000 have drowned at the sea trying to reach Europe in 2015, according to the UN.
The other priority of the summit are issues of security and defense. The leaders are expected to access the progress made in the on-going fight against terrorism and provide directions for further work.
The European Council will return to the question of the crisis in Ukraine and EU-Russia relations in light of the decisions made at the March meeting to link sanctions imposed on Russia to the implementation of the Minsk agreements.
The summit is also expected to cover developments in euro area governance, strategic investment, conclude the 2015 European Semester and consider the Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP) free trade deal between the European Union and the United States.
The TTIP deal, envisaging the free flow of goods across the Atlantic, has sparked controversy among the European public over fears of its potential adverse effects. Opponents of the treaty claim that it limits the rights of individuals and sovereign countries in favor of multinational corporations and financial industry profits.
