Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela has his doubts on the effectiveness of what is being termed 'flexible solidarity' by eastern EU states on migration.

He said solidarity had to be effective to be meaningful during a joint briefing with European Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos this afternoon.

"Effective solidarity is slightly different from what I believe is being understood by flexible solidarity... But we still have to understand what the proposal is," Mr Abela said when asked whether it was possible for the EU to adopt a common strategy to deal with the migrant crisis given the divergent views.

Countries in Eastern Europe are opposed to the mandatory quota sharing system through which migrants in border states are re-settled in other member states.

Flexible solidarity is a proposal floated by the current Slovak presidency of the EU. Mr Abela said it has to be understood whether 'flexible' meant donating assets but refusing to take in migrants, which would not result in effective solidarity.

However, Mr Avramopoulos adopted a less diplomatic tone in his reply, insisting solidarity did not need any interpretation.

"Can you have a flexible, effective or selective marriage? It won't work. Now is the time to prove what member states mean when they speak of solidarity. This is not only a moral value but a legal principle enshrined in founding treaties of the Union."

Mr Avramopoulos praised the Maltese for showing solidarity and said Malta's EU presidency shouldered the responsibility to promote solidarity and convince everyone else in the EU that they have to be part of a joint effort to deal with the migration crisis.

Mr Abela said Malta's share of migrants from Greece and Italy agreed to last year would be arriving by the end of 2016.

Mr Avramopoulos was in Malta as part of the preparations ahead of Malta taking over the EU presidency for six months in January. Migration and security are two of the issues the presidency will be focusing on.