The number of migrants who entered the EU illegally last year nearly tripled to 275,000 people compared to 2013. Fleeing conflict in the Middle East and North Africa, most migrants arrived via the Mediterranean. On March 12th, EU Interior Ministers vowed to step up controls at the bloc's external borders and set up "processing facilities" in third countries. But with unrest creating chaos in places like Libya, the European Union faces a huge challenge.
