The European Union faces the highest arrival of migrants since 2015 with record numbers of people arriving in Italy and Greece, putting reception mechanisms under severe strain. This year, member states reached a historic deal on key asylum and migration laws as deals with transit countries are struck. The EU has launched a legal procedure against Hungary.
Social media users shared videos in June 2023 claiming that a convoy of thousands of migrants were on their way to Italy from Libya. Some of the posts, shared hundreds of times in Polish, claimed the Libyan armed forces assisted their crossing in an organised operation to “invade Europe”. But an AFP investigation found the footage was filmed during an expulsion of migrants from Libya into neighbouring Egypt.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is worried about the level of migrant landings in Italy. EU and US envoys want Kosovo and Serbia to find a political solution to their conflict. Albania, France and Germany have signed a cooperation agreement to reform the Albanian energy sector. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is lukewarm about the idea of a European Union army.
Europe reacts to the Italian election outcome. Amid the energy crisis, Germany is expected to receive its first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United Arab Emirates by the end of 2022. Further news: The parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia continues discussions on the energy crisis and the EU works on joint handling of Russian fugitives.
EU countries are scrambling to face up to a challenging winter ahead, with consumers facing skyrocketing energy prices. Brussels plans a series of measures aimed at shielding households and businesses from high energy costs.