The long-awaited "New Pact on Migration and Asylum" proposes that EU members that do not want to volunteer to house more migrants—and reduce pressure on Italy and Greece, where most arrivals land—can instead take charge of sending migrants whose asylum requests are rejected back to their homelands.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that migration is a complex issue and the old system to deal with it in Europe no longer works. She said the new plan creates an accelerated process to remove migrants who are unlikely to obtain asylum. EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said the plan will make the EU "more effective" on returns.