03/04/2017 (Agence Europe) – The European Commission is soon to respond to the letter of the Austrian government in which it requested a further exemption to the relocation mechanism for asylum seekers adopted in September 2015 at the height of the migration crisis (see EUROPE 11757), Natasha Bertaud, the spokesperson to the European Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs, Dimitris Avramopoulos, announced on Monday 3 April. However, she made a point of reiterating the Commissioner's position that it “is time for all member states to keep their (relocation) promises” and stated that the “Commission is prepared to hold discussions with Austria to see how these commitments can be implemented”. In 2016, Austria benefited from changes to its obligations to take account of high numbers of asylum seekers reaching its soil in 2015. (SP)