Dimitris Avramopoulos, commissioner for migration, home affairs and citizenship, said on Tuesday 13 June: "Let me be crystal clear: the implementation of the council decisions on relocation is a legal obligation"Picture: Joint press conference by Dimitris Avramopoulos on the launch of the European Drug Report 2017 on 6 June 2017 Mauro Bottaro

Dimitris Avramopoulos, commissioner for migration, home affairs and citizenship, said on Tuesday 13 June: "Let me be crystal clear: the implementation of the council decisions on relocation is a legal obligation"Picture: Joint press conference by Dimitris Avramopoulos on the launch of the European Drug Report 2017 on 6 June 2017 Mauro Bottaro

The commission has praised the efforts realised thus far:

“The pace of relocation has significantly increased in 2017 with almost 10,300 persons relocated since January — a fivefold increase compared to the same period in 2016. As of 9 June, the total number of relocations stands at 20,869 (13,973 from Greece, 6,896 from Italy). With almost all member states now relocating from Italy and Greece, it is feasible to relocate all those eligible (currently around 11,000 registered in Greece and around 2,000 registered in Italy, with arrivals in 2016 and 2017 still to be registered) by September 2017. In any case, member states' legal obligation to relocate will not cease after September: the council decisions on relocation apply to all persons arriving in Greece or Italy until 26 September 2017 and eligible applicants must be relocated within a reasonable timeframe thereafter.

“Progress on resettlement continues to be well on track with nearly three quarters (16,419) of the 22,504 resettlements agreed in July 2015 having already been carried out. Resettlements under the EU-Turkey Statement reached a new record high in May 2017 with almost 1,000 Syrian refugees being provided with safe and legal pathways to Europe. The total number of resettlements from Turkey under the statement now stands at 6,254.”

But several central and eastern European countries have refused to participate in the resettlement and relocation programme adopted by the European Council. For the past year, this has become a bone of contention, not just between the Commission and Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, but also between them and other EU member states. Luxembourg foreign affairs minister Jean Asselborn has repeatedly criticised these countries for not respecting the agreement. It seems the Commission has decided to take action.

The statement reads:

“Over the last months, the Commission has repeatedly called on those member states that have not yet relocated a single person, or that are not pledging to relocate, to do so. Regrettably, despite these repeated calls, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, in breach of their legal obligations stemming from the council decisions and their commitments to Greece, Italy and other member states, have not yet taken the necessary action. Against this background, and as indicated in the previous Relocation and Resettlement Report, the Commission has decided to launch infringement procedures against these three member states.”

Commissioner for migration, home affairs and citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos said:

"Our Union is based on solidarity and the sharing of responsibility. These fundamental values apply to all our policies and migration is no exception. We cannot and we will not leave those member states with an external border on their own. And when it comes to relocation, let me be crystal clear: the implementation of the council decisions on relocation is a legal obligation, not a choice."