Just six EU member states have accepted to take migrants from Malta under a pilot resettlement project proposed by the European Commission.
EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot said at a Home Affairs Ministers' meeting that France, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia and Slovakia had accepted to show solidarity with Malta. He called on other member states to join in.
The Commission had issued its call for countries to join the resettlement programme in July. The project involves financial aid to the participating countries based on the number of migrants who are resettled.