EU proposes new plan for sustainable migration policy

The European Commission proposed Thursday a political roadmap to reach a comprehensive agreement by June 2018 on how to pursue a sustainable migration policy.

"Even if we are now moving away from crisis mode, it is evident that migration will remain a challenge for a generation of Europeans.

"Europe urgently needs to equip itself with future-proof means of managing migration responsibly and fairly. We have made solid progress in the past three years but now is the time to turn proposals into law, and law into practice," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said, according to Commission's written statement.

According to the statement, the Commission recommended leaders to take the ongoing work forward, to further strengthen partnerships with third countries and to continue to open legal pathways to Europe.

"Only a comprehensive approach works. Focusing just on the internal dimension and support to member states is not sufficient. At the same time, an external migration policy alone would not solve the migratory challenge for Europe," it added.