EU leaders agree to work with North Africa on migrants

European Union leaders have agreed to push ahead with plans to boost co-operation with North African countries and beef up the bloc's borders in an effort to stop migrants entering Europe.
This picture shows a general view of European Union leaders attending the second day of a EU summit at the European Council in Brussels on October 18, 2018. - European Union leaders meet for a summit focused on migration and internal security, after reviewing the state of the Brexit negotiations with Britain. (Photo by STEPHANIE LECOCQ / POOL / AFP)STEPHANIE LECOCQ/AFP/Getty ImagesThis picture shows a general view of European Union leaders attending the second day of a EU summit at the European Council in Brussels on October 18, 2018. - European Union leaders meet for a summit focused on migration and internal security, after reviewing the state of the Brexit negotiations with Britain. (Photo by STEPHANIE LECOCQ / POOL / AFP)STEPHANIE LECOCQ/AFP/Getty Images
This picture shows a general view of European Union leaders attending the second day of a EU summit at the European Council in Brussels on October 18, 2018. - European Union leaders meet for a summit focused on migration and internal security, after reviewing the state of the Brexit negotiations with Britain. (Photo by STEPHANIE LECOCQ / POOL / AFP)STEPHANIE LECOCQ/AFP/Getty Images

A statement from their summit in Brussels emphasised the need to step up co-operation with countries that people leave and transit through to seek shelter or better lives in Europe.

They said work with those countries on “investigating, apprehending and prosecuting smugglers and traffickers should be intensified”. EU leaders also called for a joint smuggling taskforce to be set up.