GETTY Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen

FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he wanted to guard against a situation like last year when 21,300 asylum seekers entered the country and the rules that say people must stay and claim asylum in the first EU country they reach were discarded. He said: "The proposal is aimed at a situation like the one last year, when it was very obvious that Dublin rules had been de facto sidelined."

He said the proposal was inspired by a similar law adopted in June by neighbouring Norway, which is not a member of the EU but adheres to the Dublin rules, and acknowledged that the change could be "problematic in relation to the Dublin rules".

GETTY EU states are at loggerheads over how to manage migration

"Like Norway sent a signal to us, we would like to send a signal to others that we must find a solution in Europe where we take care of our external borders," Rasmussen said.

We must find a solution in Europe where we take care of our external borders Danish PM Lars Lokke Rasmussen

EU states are at loggerheads over how to manage migration after 1.3 million refugees and migrants reached the bloc last year. Frictions intensified after Italy and Greece, frustrated by a lack of help from other countries, let migrants travel north to richer states in defiance of the rules. While that eased pressure on the "frontline" states, the northern reaction to last year's huge surge in arrivals from Syria, Africa and beyond led to new border controls across Europe, including in Denmark.

GETTY The proposed law has yet to be adopted by the Danish parliament

The proposed law has yet to be adopted by the parliament, where Rasmussen's Liberals hold only 34 out of 179 seats and need the support of others, including the anti-immigration Danish People's Party, to govern.

GETTY The Danish PM says his minority Government is willing to breach EU rules if it has to