
European leaders have completed emergency talks on the refugee crisis – but immediately faced warnings that the 'greatest tide of migrants is yet to come'.

They have agreed to tighten border controls and spend billions on helping refugees following marathon talks.

But after the seven-hour-long meeting, one of the EU's most senior officials warned the crisis risked destroying the union and said the policy of 'open doors and windows' must be closed.

EU Council President Donald Tusk added: 'The measures we have agreed today will not end the crisis. But they are all necessary steps in the right direction.'

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Drenched: Migrants wait in a field near Tovarnik, Croatia, after crossing the border with Serbia today. European leaders have agreed to tighten border controls and spend billions on helping refugees – but immediately faced warnings that the 'greatest tide of migrants is yet to come'

Relentless influx: Among the measures agreed was a pledge to spend £730million to help refugees at camps near their home countries in an attempt to stem the flow of those trying to make the perilous journey to Europe

By any means necessary: Migrants carry an elderly woman across a field near Tovarnik, Croatia, after crossing the border from Serbia

Hungary has put up a razor-wire fence along its border with Serbia and is close to completing a similar fence along its frontier with Croatia

Among the measures agreed was a pledge to spend £730million to help refugees at camps near their home countries in an attempt to stem the flow of those trying to make the perilous journey to Europe.

It was also said that task forces of European experts sent to help register and screen migrants in so-called hotspots must be fully operational in Greece and Italy, and perhaps also Bulgaria, by November.

This, it is hoped, will quickly identify migrants eligible for refugee status and relocation into other European countries, and filter out economic migrants unlikely to qualify for asylum in Europe.

The meeting came as it was revealed that a new record of 10,046 migrants entered Hungary on Wednesday, mostly via Croatia, as refugees continued to pour through the western Balkans bound for northern Europe.

A total of 9,939 migrants entered from Croatia, while 102 crossed from Serbia, Hungarian police said.

The previous record was set on September 14, when 9,380 migrants crossed just before Hungary effectively sealed its border with Serbia.

Braving the elements: Migrants cross a field near Tovarnik, Croatia. EU leaders said task forces of European experts sent to help register and screen migrants in so-called hotspots must be fully operational in Greece and Italy, and perhaps also Bulgaria, by November

Around half a million people have fled to Europe so far this year in search of sanctuary or jobs after fleeing conflict or persecution

EU leaders also pledged to boost support to Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan to help them cope with the millions fleeing the conflict in Syria

MIGRANT KILLED BY FREIGHT TRAIN NEAR THE CHANNEL TUNNEL A young African migrant was killed last night by a freight train near the Channel Tunnel entrance in France, according to reports. A spokesman for Eurotunnel in France confirmed that paramedics and police were called after someone was found unconscious near the railway tracks. At least 10 people have died trying to cross over to Britain from Calais since the refugee crisis erupted. Advertisement

After the meeting, Mr Tusk said that European leaders, who have disagreed acrimoniously with one another over how best to tackle the flow of people into the continent, finally appeared to reach agreement.

'Tonight, we have a common understanding that we cannot continue like we did before,' he said, adding that the crisis will only deepen.

'It is clear that the greatest tide of refugees and migrants is yet to come. Therefore we need to correct the policy of open doors and windows.'

The leaders also pledged to boost support to Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan to help them cope with the millions fleeing the fighting in Syria.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: 'The more money we give to address the root causes that are driving people to leave, the less likely they will be to leave their homes.'

Around half a million people have fled to Europe so far this year in search of sanctuary or jobs. As numbers swell, nations have tightened border security.

Hungary has put up a razor-wire fence along its border with Serbia and is close to completing a similar fence separating it from fellow EU member Croatia.

Many of the migrants are arriving via risky boat crossings from Turkey to the Greek islands.

EU leaders agreed to tighten border controls after marathon talks on the migrant crisis. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, left, and European Council President Donald Tusk, right, are pictured

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) and David Cameron (right) were pictured leaving the EU summit. Mr Cameron will now stay in Brussels to share his ideas for EU reforms with EU Council President Donald Tusk

Hungary's hard-line Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has faced fierce criticism for his border fences, said he got much of what he wanted from the meeting, but added that leaders did not go far enough in bolstering border protection.

'In this sense, Europe's external border is still not defended and the migrants breaking international agreements continue to come through Greece,' he said. 'This is the situation now and we could not put a stop to it.'

The measures, agreed late last night, were announced hours after David Cameron revealed Britain is to spend another £100million helping Syrian refugees trapped in camps around the Middle East.

The Prime Minister, arriving in Brussels for crunch talks on the refugee crisis, said £40million of the cash would go to providing emergency food rations for desperate families.

However, Mr Cameron reiterated that Britain will not participate in the EU's emergency plan to relocate refugees across the continent.

The government has agreed to take 20,000 refugees directly from camps over the next five years.

Stern: It was also agreed to send £730million to help refugees at camps near their home countries. As the session began, Mr Tusk (pictured centre) urged divided EU nations to set aside their differences and work together

French President Francois Hollande (pictured) was more blunt. On his way to the meeting he said: 'Those who don't share our values... need to start asking themselves questions about their place in the European Union'

WHAT EU LEADERS HAVE AGREED The statement from EU leaders called for 'operational decisions' on a number of steps within weeks, including: A response to the needs of refugees with additional funds of at least one billion euros;

Assistance for Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and other countries affected by an exodus from Syria;

Help for Western Balkans nations in handling refugee flows;

Tackling the 'dramatic' situation at Europe's external borders, with strengthened controls;

Setting up camps in Greece and Italy to help process and fingerprint migrants. Advertisement

Arriving in Brussels, Mr Cameron said: 'We must make sure that people in refugee camps are properly fed, and looked after, not least to help them but also to stop people wanting to make or thinking of making this very, very difficult and very dangerous journey to Europe.'

The Prime Minister is to stay in Brussels to share his ideas for EU reforms with Mr Tusk ahead of a planned referendum by the end of 2017 on whether Britain should remain a member.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening claimed the UK was 'leading the way in meeting the most immediate, basic needs of hundreds of thousands of Syrians caught up in this conflict'.

She said: 'Our new support will give desperate people the food, clean water and shelter they need to survive on a daily basis where they are, so they won't have to risk their lives fleeing the region and attempting the treacherous crossing to Europe.

'It will also provide immediate, life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection to refugees in transit.

'The UN is desperately underfunded and more help is urgently needed in the short term.'

As the session began on Wednesday evening, Mr Tusk urged divided EU nations to set aside their differences and work together to hammer out a concrete plan 'in place of the arguments and the chaos we have witnessed in the last weeks.'

French President Francois Hollande was more blunt.

On his way into the meeting he said: 'Those who don't share our values, those who don't even want to respect those principles, need to start asking themselves questions about their place in the European Union.'

Britain is to spend another £100million helping Syrian refugees trapped in camps around the Middle East, David Cameron announced today

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, French President Francois Hollande, left, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, second left, and British Prime Minister David Cameron, ahead of tonight's crisis talks

EU leaders were meeting the day after interior ministers agreed a controversial plan to relocate 120,000 refugees currently in Italy, Greece and Hungary among the member states.

The scheme provoked a furious row with four former Eastern bloc states – Slovakia, Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic – voting against, while Finland abstained.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also faced criticism of her move last month to take in more Syrians, an action some say fuelled the inflow.

The German leader stressed on arrival at yesterday's meeting that it was time for Europeans to work together.