MSF rejects EU funds over 'shameful' migrant policy

The charity, more widely known by its French acronym MSF, received 56 million euros ($63 million) from EU institutions and member states last year.

"MSF announces today that we will no longer take funds from the EU and its Member States in protest at their shameful deterrence policies and their intensification of efforts to push people back from European shores," the group said in a statement.

The group singled out the EU's deal with Turkey in March to stem the biggest flow of migrants into the continent since World War II.

Under the deal, Turkey agreed to take back all migrants and refugees landing in the Greek islands, and to crack down on people smuggling over the Aegean Sea.

In exchange, the EU said it would resettle one Syrian refugee from camps in Turkey for every Syrian that Ankara takes back from Greece.

Turkey was also offered visa-free access, increased aid and speeded up EU accession talks if it met certain conditions including changes to Ankara's anti-terrorism laws.

"We cannot accept funding from the EU or the Member States while at the same time treating the victims of their polices! It's that simple," the group said. 

"The EU-Turkey deal is presented as humanitarian but there is nothing humanitarian about hiding suffering offshore. Until there is a policy drive towards taking people in and focusing on individual needs - we will not seek EU or Member State funds.

"Europe’s attempt to outsource migration control has a domino effect, with closed borders stretching all the way back to Syria," MSF said.

The organisation also stressed that none of their patients will be affected by this decision, saying "We will use emergency funds to keep our projects running."