2. Statement by the President

Verbatim reports

The President made a statement on the challenge posed to Europe by the wave of migrants fleeing from war and persecution. He called on the Member States to overcome national self-interest and to put in place a joint European policy on asylum and the reception of refugees together with a permanent mechanism for disseminating this policy throughout the EU. He also thanked those who had assisted refugees and said that solidarity must be the common theme of European policy in this area.