EU countries reach historic agreement on migration and asylum reforms.

The EU has agreed on an initial plan to enact tougher asylum and migration policies across the bloc, with Germany calling it a "historic success". The reforms package includes preliminary checks on asylum-seekers, with families with children likely to be included in the new border policies. All applications for asylum must be processed within a maximum period of six months, and countries unwilling to accept asylum-seekers would have to provide financial assistance of up to €20,000 per migrant into a fund managed by Brussels to support those seeking protection.