Brussels  - The European Commission on Tuesday tabled a series of fresh proposals designed to eliminate disparities in the way European Union member states treat asylum-seekers.

The proposals include the creation of a European Support Office on Asylum, an EU-wide resettlement scheme and measures to help member states and third countries that host a high number of refugees.

The treatment of asylum seekers varies widely within the EU, with countries like Sweden and Germany among the most generous. Greece, by contrast, grants asylum status to only a small fraction of applicants.

Jacques Barrot, the EU commissioner responsible for freedom, security and justice, said the objective of the Common European Asylum System was to "uphold and reinforce the union's humanitarian and protection tradition and to achieve a true level playing field for protection across the EU."

The proposals, which are to be submitted to EU leaders at a meeting in October, were welcomed by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), a pressure group.

"The political momentum to develop high asylum standards obviously exists and ECRE is ready to continue cooperating with the European Commission and other stakeholders to achieve a meaningful European asylum system," said ECRE Secretary General Bjarte Vandvik.

The EU has spent much of the last 10 years trying to forge a common asylum policy.

But there are high hopes now that France has said it will place immigration issues high on its agenda when it takes over the presidency of the EU on July 1. (dpa)