Eight EU members say Syria should be reassessed for voluntary refugee returns

Eight European Union member states have said the situation in Syria should be re-evaluated regarding the return of refugees (Alamy/PA)

The governments of eight European Union member states said on Friday the situation in Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees back to their homeland.

In a joint declaration, officials from Austria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Malta and Poland said they agree on a reassessment that would lead to “more effective ways of handling” Syrian refugees trying to reach European Union countries.