Greek Borders Could Close Over Migrant Crisis

Countries could shut their borders with Greece over its failure to implement effective frontier controls to deal with the migrant crisis, according to the EU executive.

The country has all but abandoned its border control obligations to its neighbours and could be sealed off from the rest of Europe over its failure to get to grips with the problem, according to a draft report.

"Greece seriously neglected its obligations and that there are serious deficiencies in the carrying out of external border control that must be overcome ... by the Greek authorities," European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis told a news briefing.

The report could see temporary border controls recently introduced between some free-travel Schengen countries extended for up to two years.

It comes as Greece's migration minister says his country is seeking EU backing for the swift deportation of migrants not considered eligible for asylum from Greek islands back to Turkey.

Ioannis Mouzalas said that EU-supervised screening centres set up on the Greeks islands could be used to send back ineligible migrants to Turkey "the next morning".

:: PM Under Fire For 'Bunch Of Migrants' Jibe

Greek authorities say seven bodies, including those of two children, were recovered from the sea off the island of Kos after a boat carrying migrants or refugees sank.

Three men, two women, a boy and a girl were pulled dead from the water. Only a man and a woman survived.

A search and rescue operation by the Greek coast guard and the European border patrol agency Frontex, a helicopter and Greek rescue volunteers was called off after all on board the boat were accounted for.

Meanwhile, Germany is poised to give the go-ahead for measures to make it easier to deport foreign criminals, a plan drawn up following outrage over New Year's Eve assaults in Cologne committed mostly by migrants.

Justice Minister Heiko Maas said the proposal approved by the German Cabinet, but yet to be passed by Parliament, was in the interest of hundreds of thousands of law-abiding migrants in Germany.

"They do not deserve to be lumped together with criminals," he said.

More than one million migrants and refugees entered Europe last year, according the International Organisation for Migration; a four-fold increase compared to 2014.