Europe scales up plans to control migration

As drownings in the Mediterranean continue and winter grips the perilous routes refugees are beating towards Europe, EU leaders remain divided over how to deal with the largest movement of people since the Second World War.

At the heart of the political debate are quotas, border controls, and controversial plans, announced by the European Commission in December, for a new European border and coastguard agency.

Amid a climate of fear following the Paris attacks, the commission presented an ambitious proposal, aimed at “securing the EU’s borders… while safeguarding the principle of free movement of persons”.