EU softens rhetoric: 'Cash-for-migrants' to 'economic lifelines'

This time last year EU leaders were ready to do whatever it takes to ramp up action on migration control and repatriation.

Following last February's EU summit where leaders agreed to threaten to suspend aid, tariff-free trade and visa access to countries that refuse to take back failed asylum seekers, further details were set out in a letter to leaders from European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

The letter stated that "the commission is working closely with member s...