Discussions about the EU's refugee policy have been going on for a long time, and Sweden's EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson describes the new agreement as a "major breakthrough".
One of the elements that the countries have agreed on is a kind of voluntary solidarity mechanism.
It will be valid for one year and thereafter the idea is that it will have been transposed into a mandatory EU law.
In short, it means that EU countries must offer help to the member states that receive many migrants in a short time.
Among other things, they must assist with money and support or relieve the country in question by receiving some of the refugees.
Criticism: Buys himself free
The new agreement, which has not been transposed into law, has also been met with criticism from the organization Oxfam.
The solidarity mechanism will be a way to buy oneself free from responsibility, according to the organization.
Ylva Johansson rejects the criticism:
- I do not think so.
The important thing is that we can relieve these countries, she says.
In addition, the EU countries can only contribute what the country in question really needs, she says.