Belgium on Thursday announced it would expand reception capacity to cope with what it called a migration "crisis" as EU ministers debated bringing down rising numbers of arrivals and overhauling their broken asylum rules ahead a bloc-wide election next year.
Belgium, one the world's richest countries, has been unable to provide accommodation to many new arrivals, with reception centres almost full. Hundreds of people have been squatting in places such as an abandoned building and a tent city in the capital Brussels, home to EU institutions.
Officials have said hosting refugees from Ukraine and increasing immigration from Africa and Asia is straining the country of some 11.6 million people.
