The interior ministers of France, Germany, and Italy meet in Paris on July 2 to discuss a "coordinated approach" to help Italy deal with increasing numbers of migrants arriving in its ports.
The crisis talks come after appeals from the United Nations for more help for Italy, who has threatened to close its ports and impound rescue ships run by aid agencies carrying people from Libya.
Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees, on July 1 said that "what is happening in front of our eyes in Italy is an unfolding tragedy."
The international community should do more to help Italy contend with the massive numbers of migrants arriving on its shores, Grandi said.
French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb, German counterpart Thomas de Maiziere, and Italy's Marco Minniti meet European Union Commissioner for Refugees Dimitris Avramopoulos in the French capital, an informed source said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron both expressed support for Italy after a meeting in Berlin.
"Germany will certainly help Italy face this problem," Merkel said.
According to the UN, some 77,000 migrants have landed in Italy since the start of the year, up 15 percent on the same period a year earlier, and some 1,800 have died crossing the Mediterranean in the dangerous journey.
Libya is the most common departure point for migrants trying to reach Europe by sea.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella warned that "if we continue with these kind of figures, the situation will become unmanageable, even for a large and open country like ours."
On June 28, Italy threatened to stop vessels from other countries unloading migrants at its ports after rescuing them in the Mediterranean, saying some 80 percent of migrants were seeking better economic opportunities and were not fleeing from war or persecution.
"We are confronted with growing numbers that over time could severely test our reception system," Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said.
Talks Being Held In Paris On Italy's Growing Migrant Crisis
