"Europe has experienced other crises. But this one, somehow, has called into question its reason for being and its very functioning," Fabius said in an interview for the dailies Le Figaro, La Tribune de Geneve, El Pais, La Repubblica, and Le Soir.

EU interior ministers will today in Brussels discuss the crisis and try to find a compromise on the distribution of 120,000 refugees, before the EU leaders' summit on Wednesday, AFP reported.

"It is an illusion to believe that everyone will come out of the crisis by restoring national borders. But we must be honest enough to say that beyond the necessary solidarity towards refugees, we cannot have the doors wide open to all economic migrants," Fabius said, and added:

"Otherwise, what will happen? Chaos and disintegration... and these are difficult consequences for Europe on all fronts. For example, how can the British referendum (on exiting the EU) take place next year if the refugee issue is not resolved?"

According to him "national egotism" will not solve the problem. The French minister then spoke in favor of "opening reception centers in the countries of first entry," as well as a fair distribution system, and helping countries outside the union who are on the front line, such as Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon.