Maltese MEP Dr Miriam Dalli, who is a member of the European Parliament’s Migration Committee, has been chosen to be the Socialists and Democrats' lead negotiator on the legislative revamp of the European Commission’s Dublin Regulation.

This is one of the first legislative dossiers proposed as part of the European Agenda on Migration adopted by the European Commission last May, which outlined the measures required to respond to the challenges that exist in the area of migration.

Changes in this legislative proposal will result in real and tangible change in EU policy and migration practices in its 28 member states.

The Dublin Regulation has been under fire for many years for creating excessive pressure on the European Union’s border member states, such as Malta.

The regulation imposes on the first member states that a third country national seeking humanitarian protection enters, to be the state responsible for the examining of asylum applications.

The report will focus on the development of a permanent crisis relocation mechanism that can be activated in any member state, should an extraordinary influx of migrants seeking international protection arrive in the EU.

In her comments following her appointment, Dr Dalli said: "We need a mechanism which will alleviate the problem faced by border states such as Malta in case of a migration crisis. Malta already went through such a situation some years back, but back then no effective relocation mechanism was triggered. That’s why we need a permanent mechanism which will help countries facing an emergency situation."

“It is extremely important that the size of the Member State is taken into account and this is one of the points that I will be pushing for,” Dr Dalli said.