BRUSSELS — European Union leaders pledged at least €1 billion (S$1.6 billion) for Syrian refugees in the Middle East and closer cooperation to stem migrant flows into Europe, at a summit described as less tense than feared after weeks of feuding.

European Council President and former prime minister of Poland Donald Tusk said the meeting, which ended yesterday after seven hours of talks in Brussels, was “really excellent, for sure, much better than we expected”.

He heard “very substantial and energetic” exchanges between the Austrian and Hungarian leaders, whose common border was among those disrupted by chaotic crowds of migrants this summer, but not the mutual recrimination that has threatened to tear apart the bloc’s cherished passport-free Schengen zone.

“Today’s meeting and this atmosphere are a very positive sign,” said Mr Tusk. “It’s quite a symbolic moment for me, as it’s clear we have stopped this risky blame game.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, criticised by some eastern neighbours for what they saw as actions that have fuelled the influx of people trying to reach Germany, voiced satisfaction.

“We know that the problem is not solved with the decision taken,” said Ms Merkel. “But we have taken one of many necessary steps. I got the feeling that we want to tackle this task together.”

Held at short notice after governments fell out badly over a scheme to share out responsibilities for asylum-seekers around the EU, the summit carried political rather than legal weight.

A joint statement read: “We can only manage this challenge by working together in a spirit of solidarity and responsibility.”

Among short-term actions before the next regular summit in mid-October, the EU would offer at least €1 billion more to the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR, its World Food Programme and other agencies and increase funding for Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and other countries — part of a broad push to ease factors driving Syrians to risk sailing to Europe.

“It is close to the scene of the tragedy that the refugees must be kept, welcomed, supported,” said French President Francois Hollande, renewing a call for global cooperation by wealthy powers to take in some of the most needy cases.

The summit set a November deadline for Greece and Italy to have EU-staffed “hotspots” to register and fingerprint new arrivals, start a process of relocating Syrians and others likely to win refugee status to other EU states, and deport those regarded as unwanted economic migrants.

That is a demand of Germany and France but also of former communist states such as Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which fought against being obliged to take a share of asylum-seekers but were over-ruled in a rare vote at a meeting on Tuesday.

The accords may do little to ease the immediate chaos and tension that has flared, for example, between old Yugoslav foes Croatia and Serbia, or to slow the rafts reaching Greek islands from Turkey.

Collectively, national leaders were chided by the executive European Commission when it named 19 countries for breaches of EU asylum laws. The Commission also called on them to reverse cuts in their funding for the World Food Programme.

Overall, EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU had doubled the funds targeted to deal with migration to €9.5 billion. Reuters