The head of the International Organization for Migration has urged the European Union to accept far more asylum seekers than the 20,000 planned under an EU scheme to resettle people in need of protection.

IOM Director General William Lacy Swing told EU lawmakers on Tuesday that "the 20,000 quota is commendable. We're glad for it," but Europe "needs to go much, much further."

More than 80,000 migrants have reached European shores so far this year. The IOM estimates that 1,820 migrants have died or gone missing on the Mediterranean Sea route.

The plan to resettle asylum seekers from non-EU countries and a temporary scheme to better share some of those already in Europe will be unveiled in Brussels on Wednesday.

UNB/RI