EU mulls spending $355m to resettle 30,000 Afghan refugees

The European Commission made the proposal to EU ambassadors at an August 26 meeting on Afghanistan, according to a diplomatic note seen by Bloomberg News.

The European Union has floated a plan to spend 300 million euros ($355 million) to resettle about 30,000 refugees inside the bloc in a bid to avert a migration crisis following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, made the proposal to EU ambassadors at an Aug. 26 meeting on Afghanistan, according to a diplomatic note seen by Bloomberg. The commission added that additional funds could be made available. An EU spokesperson said the funding isn’t limited to Afghan refugees, but EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson said Tuesday that she plans to convene a high-level resettlement forum this month to address the Afghan situation. Specific resettlement pledges would have to made by individual EU governments.