EU reaches asylum deal that rights groups say will create ‘cruel system’

Plan is aimed at spreading cost of hosting asylum seekers across bloc and limiting number of arrivals

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EU negotiators have reached agreement on new rules aimed at spreading the cost and responsibility of hosting asylum seekers across the bloc, limiting the number of people coming in and making it easier to deport those whose claims fail.

After all-night talks, representatives from national governments, the European parliament and European Commission “reached a deal on the core political elements” of the new pact on asylum and migration, the EU’s Spanish presidency said on Wednesday.