Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain are demanding clearer rules obliging EU states to take in migrants that land on their shores.
In a joint document, the four states outlined their views on the EU's new pact on migration and asylum.
Among their demands is that the relocation of migrants remains not only mandatory, but also the pact's "main solidarity tool."
"We believe that the solidarity rules and the related commitment of all Member States must be clearly defined," Back our independent journalism by becoming a supporting memberGet EU news that matters
Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.
Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.