EU to Cooperate With North African Countries to Reduce Illegal Immigration

During a summit this summer, the European Council discussed the bloc's migration policy, agreeing on the establishment of "regional disembarkation platforms in close cooperation with relevant third countries" and controlled centers in EU member states to process asylum applications.

European leaders plan to strengthen the borders of the union by cooperating with Turkey and North African countries.

According to a draft statement, prepared during a summit in Brussels, the EU plans to work with transit countries on "investigating, apprehending and prosecuting smugglers and traffickers should be intensified," also urging for the creation of a joint anti-smuggling task force.

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The draft noted that following a deal with Ankara, which cost Brussels 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion), illegal border crossings through Turkish territory have dropped by 95 percent from the peak in 2015, when over 1 million migrants, predominantly Syrians and Iraqis fleeing military conflicts in their home countries, entered Europe.

Migrants, however, continued to use other routes through the Mediterranean Sea, sparking disapproval of the EU migration policy in many European countries.

European countries have been experiencing a major migration crisis since 2015 due to the influx of thousands of migrants and refugees fleeing wars and poverty in the Middle East and North Africa.