EU to meet to discuss migrant crisis on September 14

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union ministers have been called to an extraordinary EU meeting on Sept. 14 to discuss a huge surge in irregular immigration, as European leaders struggle to define a coherent response to the crisis. Luxembourg, which holds the rotating EU presidency and called the meeting, said on Sunday: "The situation of migration phenomena outside and inside the European Union has recently taken unprecedented proportions." "In order to assess the situation on the ground, the political actions under way and to discuss the next steps in order to strengthen the European response, the Luxembourg Minister for Immigration and Asylum Jean Asselborn decided to convene an extraordinary JHA Council," it said. The JHA refers to the Justice and Home Affairs Council, made up of the interior or justice ministers of all 28 EU countries who usually meet every three months. Luxembourg said the meeting would focus on return policy, international cooperation, and investigation and measures to prevent human trafficking. German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged other European Union countries on Sunday to accept a greater share of the refugees fleeing to the bloc, as her government struggles to cope with an expected record 800,000 arrivals this year. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)