Statement: President Juncker calls Leaders’ Meeting in Brussels on refugee flows along the Western Balkans route

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called on 21 October 2015 for a leader's summit meeting at the level of Heads of State or Government on refugee flows along the Western Balkan route to take place in Brussels on the 25 October 2015. The objective was to agree common operational conclusions which could be immediately implemented.

Attending the Leaders' Meeting were the Heads of State or Government of Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Sweden. The President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Council, the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the EU and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees were also invited to attend this Leaders' Meeting. The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) and the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (Frontex) were also represented.

• Primary Source

EurActiv, 21.10.15: Juncker calls EU-Balkans mini-summit over refugee crisis http://www.euractiv.com/sections/justice-home-affairs/juncker-calls-eu-balkans-mini-summit-over-refugee-crisis-318722

ESO: Information Guide: European Migration Challenges http://www.europeansources.info/record/information-guide-european-migration-challenges/

ESO: Background information: Hungary to seal external Schengen border with Croatia / Migrants turn to Slovenia after Hungary closes border http://www.europeansources.info/record/hungary-to-seal-external-schengen-border-with-croatia-migrants-turn-to-slovenia-after-hungary-closes-border/

Politico, 21.10.15: Juncker calls leaders’ meeting on migration http://www.politico.eu/article/juncker-leaders-meeting-migration-refugee-crisis-western-balkans/

Euro|Topics: Main Focus, 23.10.15: Heads of government seek solution for Balkan route http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER172019-Heads-of-government-seek-solution-for-Balkan-route

EUObserver, 22.10.15: Balkan summit highlights Juncker-Tusk leadership gap https://euobserver.com/institutional/130784

Politico 23.10.15: 5 ways the EU migration strategy is unraveling http://www.politico.eu/article/5-ways-the-eu-migration-schengen-crisis-strategy-is-unraveling/

EUObserver, 23.10.15: Member states lag behind on refugee pledges https://euobserver.com/migration/130809

Deutsche Welle, 24.10.15: Balkan trio threatens to erect migrant fence if Germany closes border http://dw.com/p/1Gtge

ESO: Background information: Merkel faces growing party pressure on refugee crisis / Germany flexes its anti-migrant muscles http://www.europeansources.info/record/merkel-faces-growing-party-pressure-on-refugee-crisis-germany-flexes-its-anti-migrant-muscles/

BBC News, 24.10.15: Migrant crisis: Balkan states threaten border closures http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34630400

EurActiv, 25.10.15: Eastern leaders to give Juncker cold shoulder over refugee crisis http://www.euractiv.com/sections/global-europe/eastern-leaders-give-juncker-cold-shoulder-over-refugee-crisis-318839

EUObserver, 25.10.15: EU mini-summit to 'slow flows' of refugees https://euobserver.com/justice/130824

Politico, 26.10.15: Western Balkan countries agree to work together on migration http://www.politico.eu/article/commission-migration-proposal-draws-fire-merkel-refugee-merkel-juncker/

The Local.at, 25.10.15: Refugee summit may herald 'EU decomposition' http://www.thelocal.at/20151025/refugee-summit-may-herald-eu-decomposition

EurActiv, 22.10.15: Orbán slams EU migration policies ahead of Juncker’s mini-summit http://www.euractiv.com/sections/global-europe/orban-slams-eus-migration-policies-preparation-junckers-mini-summit-318776

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