European Union leaders gathered in a summit to examine new ways to stop migrants entering Europe, desperate to ensure that their differences over managing the flows do not tear apart the 28-nation bloc apart.

The establishment of Orwellian-sounding "regional disembarkation platforms," is the main topic of the two-day summit. The plan, yet to be fleshed out, involves placing people leaving Africa bound for Europe in centers in countries like Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Niger and Tunisia.

"A precondition for a genuine EU migration policy is that Europeans effectively decide who enters European territory," EU Council President Donald Tusk said in an invitation letter to the leaders. "Failure to achieve this goal would in fact be a manifestation of our weakness."

The scheme is likely to prove extremely expensive — and no African country has expressed an interest so far in taking part. Big questions also remain over whether people would be left languishing at these centers with little hope of getting to Europe and no means or will to return home. Under international law, people legitimately in fear for their lives and safety are within their rights to try to reach a safe place and apply for asylum.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel insists that European Union countries where migrants arrive deserve assistance, but has rejected the idea that refugees can choose which country to seek asylum in.

Merkel arrived yesterday at an EU summit, seeking progress on a long-elusive European approach to dealing with asylum-seekers amid heavy pressure from her interior minister, who is threatening to turn migrants back from Germany's borders unilaterally. Merkel said, "The states that get a lot of refugees of course need protection and support, but on the other hand refugees and migrants cannot choose in which country they go through asylum proceedings," as reported by The Associated Press (AP). She said that protecting the EU's external borders will be a key issue at the summit, and there could be discussions with North African countries about ships docking there.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte threatened yesterday to veto an EU summit statement on migration if fellow leaders fail to do more to help Italy cope with migrants. "It's a possibility I hope not to consider, but if we reach that point, on my behalf we will not have shared conclusions," Conte told reporters when asked if Italy would veto the statement on migration, according to Agence France-Press (AFP).

The number of people arriving in Europe seeking sanctuary or better lives has dropped significantly, but anti-migrant parties have consolidated their powers, winning votes as they exploit fear of foreigners.

The political crisis caused by the EU's inability to share responsibility for those entering is undermining German Chancellor Merkel's leadership. It's also helped bring an anti-European government to power in Italy.

Italy, the main landing point for migrants along with Greece, has begun to refuse entry to ships carrying people rescued from the Mediterranean Sea. The EU's smallest member state, the island of Malta, is also resisting appeals to do more. France has been involved, criticizing Rome in a major diplomatic row.

Merkel is fighting a battle at home and abroad against critics who accuse her of endangering European security with her welcoming approach to migrants. Her conservative coalition is under pressure from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

The party received a surge in support since 2015 when well over one million people entered Europe, mostly fleeing conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and populist leaders in southern and eastern Europe have rejected her calls for a wholesale reform of Europe's migration system.

With Merkel's coalition allies demanding that migrants be turned away at the border with Austria, EU officials fear any such move would set off a domino effect. Austria in turn could close its border with Italy, and Rome might then close its ports.