Italy bound migrants
Italy threatens to send stranded migrants 'back to Libya'
The 177 people have been sat off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa since Thursday after being saved by the coastguard's Diciotti vessel.
People on the vessel had thrown Molotov cocktails at security forces before setting fire to the boat and attempting to flee.
Under the deal migrants who have already applied for asylum in other European Union countries will be held in transit centres on the border while Germany negotiates bilateral deals for their return.
At stake is EU members’ unity and trust in each other, as well as the bloc’s Schengen zone of control-free travel.
Refugees and migrants arriving in Italy by sea. By month since Jan 2016.
Italian authorities appeared to relent on Thursday after at first refusing to accept 226 migrants on board a German rescue ship, saying later in the day they would take them in but impound the vessel.
The first an inflatable dinghy that had broken down with 125 people on board off Zawiya, just west of the capital, Tripoli, said Ayoub Qassem.
Deaths at sea have declined as well, according to the IOM, with 2,833 this year, down more than 38% from 4,581 last year.
Four months ago, Italy passed a law aimed at protecting child immigrants, even those who do not qualify as refugees, providing them with housing, food, healthcare and an education.
Migrants who reach international waters are brought to Italy because Libya is not considered a safe place for refugees.
The interior ministry said that up until 13 July, some 86,123 migrants had come to Italy so far this year, up 10% on the same period in 2016.
Spain’s EU mission said it would only unveil their position on the matter at the ministers’ meeting in the Estonian capital.
Italy is the main point of arrival for most African migrants to European shores this year, and more boats are sent out almost daily.
Most of the people attempting the journey originally come Nigeria, followed by Bangladesh and other sub-Saharan countries.
A young woman was found unconscious on one of the vessels and later died, the group said.
Italy has seen migrants arriving by boat at a record-setting pace so far this year, with far more people braving the crossing from North Africa.
Italy took in a record 181,000 boat migrants last year, and more than 9,000 have arrived already in 2017.
The voyage from Libya across the Mediterranean to Italy is currently the main route to Europe for migrants.
A record 181,000 migrants reached Italy over the Mediterranean last year, most of them leaving from Libya.