Italy's interior minister Matteo Salvini announced on Sunday he was gathering legal evidence against the crew of a Dutch-flagged rescue ship as calls grew for 47 migrants to be allowed to land, news wires reported.

In accordance to the EU's Dublin III rule, Germany deported 8,658 asylum-seekers to other EU countries in the first eleven months of 2018 - a significant increase from 7,102 refugees transferred in 2017, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reports quoting data from country's interior ministry. 

British and French authorities announced that more than 40 migrants were rescued in the waters between southern England and northern France on Christmas Day, amid a spike in attempts by migrants to cross the English Channel to British shores on small boats.

Ahead of December European Council, the Commission last Tuesday called on Member States and the European Parliament to consolidate the significant progress made by adopting the outstanding reform proposals, the EU press service reported. The EU's comprehensive approach on migration is delivering on all fronts: deeper cooperation with partner countries; better-protected external borders; and more effective tools to manage migration inside the EU.

The European Commission has awarded an additional €43.7m in emergency assistance to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support Greece in responding to migratory challenges. The grant has been awarded from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and will support the provision of emergency shelter for up to 6,000 asylum seekers and refugees by rapidly establishing places in temporary accommodation facilities.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosted African leaders on Tuesday, pledging a new development fund to tackle underdevelopment on the continent that has helped to spur mass migration, shaping the later years of her long premiership. Merkel announced on Monday she would retire from politics by 2021, sending shockwaves across Europe and starting a race to succeed her. She needs the Compact with Africa summit to show that progress has been made in addressing the aftermath of one of the defining moments of her 13 years in power: her 2015 decision to open Germany’s doors to more than a million refugees.

Greek Supreme Court Public Prosecutor Xeni Dimitriou has ordered a preliminary investigation into media reports about an alleged mismanagement of €570m of EU funds given to Greece to cope with the migration crisis. According to reports, country’s financial prosecutor Marianna Psaroudaki has already summoned witnesses to testify, including the head of the migration policy ministry’s reception and identification service, Lieutenant General Andreas Iliopoulos. 

Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos will tomorrow travel to Belgrade, where he will participate in a conference on high-tech crime and information security "Connect securely". 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her Austrian counterpart Sebastian Kurz appeared to put aside their differences on Sunday in Berlin, as the two leaders announced a series of efforts aimed at combating irregular migration to Europe. Although Merkel and Kurz have previously clashed on migration, this time they both welcomed plans by European Commission President Jean-Clause Juncker to bolster Frontex staff to 10,000 by 2020 and agreed to cooperate with African states to stem migration flows.

Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos and Commissioner for the Security Union Julian King will visit Vienna on Friday where they will participate in a ministerial conference on promoting partnership and building resilience with non-EU countries on security and migration.