Plans call for screening of migrants outside Europe

BRUSSELS — European Union leaders Friday drew up new plans to screen migrants in North Africa for eligibility to enter Europe, saying they set aside major differences over stemming the flow of people seeking sanctuary or better lives. But the show of unity did little to hide the fact that the hardest work lies ahead.

The leaders agreed on a “new approach” to manage those rescued at sea, just as bickering over who should take responsibility for them threatens cross-border business and travel in Europe.

Italy has refused to take charge of people rescued at sea in recent weeks, sparking a diplomatic row with France and Malta. In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition partner is demanding she take a tougher line on migrants.

The new plan is to receive people from rescue ships in EU nations that agree to share responsibility for handing migration with the EU’S main point-of-entry countries like Spain, Italy and Greece. But they also will receive them in centers in North Africa and possibly the Balkans.

“A complete approach was adopted,” French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters.

“We are protecting better. We are cooperating more. And we are reaffirming our principles,” Macron said.

Even new Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, whose populist government has rocked the EU’S political landscape, said: “On the whole, we can say we are satisfied.”

“Italy is no longer alone, as we requested,” he said.

That said, the Czech Republic and Austria have no intention of basing migrant centers on their territory.

The centers “should be outside of Europe. Ellis Island, yes? And the Australian model, very simple. We have to execute this,” Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said.

The EU’S executive Commission now must draft something more concrete in coordination with the U.N.’S refugee agency and the International Organization for Migration, which would prefer to operate in European migration centers only.