The EU has set out a package of measures to try to ease the migrant boat crisis in the Mediterranean.
Its Triton patrolling service will be strengthened and a military mandate sought to destroy people-smugglers' boats. An emergency summit of EU leaders will be held on Thursday.
As the EU ministers met, fresh distress calls from migrant boats were received.
The crisis worsened at the weekend when hundreds of migrants were feared drowned as a boat capsized off Libya.
As the EU ministers met, fresh distress calls from migrant boats were received.
The crisis worsened at the weekend when hundreds of migrants were feared drowned as a boat capsized off Libya.
Libyan question
The EU's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said the 10-point package set out at talks in Luxembourg was a "strong reaction from the EU to the tragedies" and "shows a new sense of urgency and political will".
"We are developing a truly European sense of solidarity in fighting human The measures include an increase in the financial resources of Frontex, which runs the EU's Mediterranean rescue service Triton, and an extension of Triton's operational area.
The EU had been criticised over the scope of Triton, which replaced the larger Italian operation Mare Nostrum at the end of last year.
The "civilian and military" operation to destroy the people-smugglers' boats would need a mandate signed off by the European Council.
Other points include:
- Joint processing of asylum applications - within two months of their being lodged
- Fingerprinting and recording of all migrants
- An EU pilot project on migrant resettlement - this would be voluntary
- Offer of return travel packages
- Immigration liaison officers in key countries
Ms Mogherini stressed the need for action on Libya, where there was "no state entity to control borders".trafficking - finally so."
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