Progress on migration, but more to be done, EU Commissioner says

The Europe Union's migration commissioner said Wednesday that the bloc has made progress on handling migration issues, but more remains to be done and efforts need to be strengthened, particularly in filling gaps in the EU border agency.

"We need to work toward structural and long-term solutions because we don't know what the future" holds, Dimitris Avramopoulos said during a news conference in Brussels.

He noted EU member states must take stronger action on carrying out the returns of those denied asylum in Europe, and called on member states to "urgently fill the ... gaps for the European border and coast guard agency," which would provide support if needed on the Greece-Turkey border.

Avramopoulos noted a significant increase in the number of illegal crossings on the border, while stressing the figures were still far below those of the height of the...