European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos visited the Ministry of Shipping on Tuesday for an inter-ministerial meeting. Greek officials asked for the immediate activation of EU funds to help the country cope with the increased migration flow. They called for immediate activation of a refugee relocation program and the reinforcement of rescue equipment.

Avramopoulos pledged that he would ask for the emergency mechanism allowing asylum seekers to be transferred from frontline countries to the rest of the EU in a proposal to be submitted to the European Commission on Wednesday.

“The fact that this is happening for the first time in the history of the EU is a real change in the way the EU deals with migration,” said Avramopoulos. New rules in the way the EU tackles migration are aimed at relieving the frontline countries, especially Greece and Italy, facing the highest pressure from migration.

A press release from the office of Alternate Migration Policy Minister Tasia Christodoulopoulou said that the commissioner pledged to support Greece’s bid for emergency funding as well as an international relocation program for refugees in the EU. Avramopoulos also pledged the reinforcement of operations in the Mediterranean, specifically Triton and Poseidon.