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European Union border control officials are to meet in Brussels today to discuss how best to deal with an increase in the number of migrants trying to reach Europe.

The conference is taking place as Italy prepares to hand responsibility for patrolling the Mediterranean to a new EU force called Operation Triton.

The European Commission said the operation will help but not replace "continued substantial efforts" by Italian authorities.

Italy has long demanded more help from other European countries to help with increasing number of migrants making the dangerous crossing in flimsy and crowded boats, as they flee conflict and economic hardship in the Middle East and Africa.

A record 3,072 migrants have died trying to cross the Mediterranean so far this year, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

Over the past year, Italian warships are believed to have rescued 150,000 migrants who have been trying to reach Europe by boat.

Britain has said it will not support the EU search and rescue operations.

The British Foreign Office said that the government's position had been laid out in a response to a question published by the House of Lords website on 15 October.

"We do not support planned search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean," foreign office minister Joyce Anelay wrote in the response.

"We believe that they create an unintended "pull factor", encouraging more migrants to attempt the dangerous sea crossing and thereby leading to more tragic and unnecessary deaths."

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EU officials to discuss increase in migrant numbers