EU looks to the future at summit on migration and enlargement

The European Union’s 27 national leaders meet on Friday to look for ways to avoid a new migration crisis and address a longer-term existential challenge of bringing into their bloc new countries, potentially as big and troubled as Ukraine.
Italy and Spain have voiced concern over irregular immigration increasing this year to their islands, while Greek waters in June were the site of Europe’s deadliest shipwreck in years, one that killed hundreds of migrants.
Germany, the preferred destination country for many of the migrants reaching Europe, has introduced border checks, saying they are needed to crack down on smugglers bringing people to its territory.
That decision came after Germany reported a nearly 80% rise in asylum requests so far this year, a concern for the centre-left ruling coalition facing a challenge from the far-right in local elections in Bavaria on Oct. 8.
Neighbouring Poland will hold a national election a week later, on Oct. 15.