The European Union clinched a deal today on new asylum rules which the United Nations and human rights campaigners say may compromise refugees' rights.
"There is an agreement," EU diplomats said during a meeting of the bloc's interior ministers in Luxembourg.
The draft rules aim to harmonise procedures for seeking asylum inside the European Union, to ensure genuine refugees can find safe haven but to prevent economic migrants from abusing asylum systems to enter the wealthy bloc.
After more than three years of talks, EU interior ministers raced to meet a deadline for agreeing the proposed rules by May 1st, the day the EU expands to 25 member states.
French Interior Minister Dominique De Villepin said having the same rules in all EU states would help prevent abuse.
"If one country is going to have its own rules and another has its own rules... it will be a lot easier for the people that would like to take advantage of the situation to take advantage. So it is important to have a general common policy," he added.