European Commission lodges court case over asylum seeker quotas

The European Commission has announced that it has lodged a complaint against the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary for their refusal to accept asylum seekers according to an agreement between EU member states.

Frans Timmermans, the European Commission’s first vice-president, had warned that the step would be taken at the start of December but at that stage had still held out the possibility that a solution could be hammered out with the three countries.

Prague has taken 12 asylum seekers with the government saying the agreed quota system does not work. A spokesman for the court said a first hearing into the case would not take place before November or December.

Author: Chris Johnstone