On 29 November 2015, at the EU-Turkey summit, Turkey and the EU activated
the Joint Action Plan aimed at stepping up cooperation for the support of
Syrian refugees under temporary protection and their host communities in Turkey
and to strengthen cooperation to prevent irregular migration flows to the EU.
The European Commission is today publishing a report on the implementation of
the EU-Turkey Joint Action Plan, assessing the follow-up of the respective
commitments under the Action Plan.
European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: "I welcome the
measures already taken by the Turkish authorities to stem irregular migratory
flows, such as the opening of the labour market for Syrian refugees. There
should be no illusions that the refugee crisis will end before its root causes
– notably continued war and atrocities in Syria – are addressed in a definite
manner.
We will continue to work jointly with our Turkish partners to fully
implement the joint action plan so we can deliver on the commitments taken to
bring order into migratory flows, including fighting against smugglers and
preventing irregular departures from Turkey to Europe.''
Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiation, Johannes Hahn, added: "On the EU side, we have
finalised the set-up of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey, with €3 billion
available over the next two years to deal with the refugee influx. We are
working at full-speed with the Turkish authorities to assess the needs so that
the funds can be disbursed as soon as possible".
Turkey needs as a matter of urgency to make significant progress in
preventing irregular departures of migrants and refugees from its territory to
the EU, notably by stepping up land based operations. The number of people
arriving irregularly in the EU from Turkey has decreased steadily since
October, but the total number of arrivals remains high for winter. The average
daily arrivals from Turkey to Greece stood at 2,186 in January, compared to
6,929 for October and 3,575 in December.
The report acknowledges several concrete measures that Turkey has already
taken on the implementation of the Action Plan. The introduction on 8 January
of visa obligations for arrivals of Syrians to Turkey from third countries has
sharply reduced arrivals of Syrians from Lebanon and Jordan into Turkey. The
measures adopted on 15 January to give access to the labour market to Syrians
under temporary protection in Turkey are another important step forward.
Turkey is urged to continue its efforts towards the full and effective
implementation of the Plan. Turkey should improve the implementation of its
bilateral Readmission Agreement with Greece, and should be ready to implement the EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement for third country nationals from 1 June 2016. In
this regard, the European Commission has today adopted a proposal for a Council
decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the
Joint Readmission Committee on the application of the provisions on readmission
of third-country nationals and stateless persons in order to advance the
applicability of these obligations to June 2016.
Turkey should also reinforce the interception capacity of the Turkish Coast
Guard and strengthen legislation, action and cooperation with EU Member States
in the fight against smuggling and smugglers.
On the EU side, assistance should be delivered as soon as possible through
the recently established Facility for Refugees in Turkey. The first meeting of the Facility's Steering
Committee will take place on 17 February to discuss specific actions which can
be financed with the €3 billion pledged from the EU and Member State budgets.
Priority areas for action will include humanitarian aid, education, labour
market integration, health care access, social inclusion and infrastructure
projects.
Background
Its geographical position makes Turkey a major first reception and transit
country for migrants. The country is currently hosting more than 2.5 million
asylum seekers and refugees.
Turkey is making commendable efforts to provide massive humanitarian aid
and support to an unprecedented and continuously increasing influx of people
seeking refuge and has already spent more than €7 billion of its own resources
on addressing this crisis.
On 15 October, the European Commission reached an ad referenda agreement
with Turkey on a Joint Action Plan to step up their cooperation on migration management in a coordinated
effort to tackle the refugee crisis.
The Joint Action Plan was activated at the EU-Turkey meeting on 29 November
2015.
The Action Plan identifies a series of collaborative actions to be
implemented as a matter of urgency by the European Union and the Republic of
Turkey with the aim of confronting common challenges in a concerted manner and
supplementing Turkey’s efforts in managing the large number of people in need
of protection in Turkey.
In addition, the European Union – the institutions and
its Member States – also committed to increasing political engagement with
Turkey, providing Turkey with significant financial support, accelerating the
fulfilment of the visa liberalisation roadmap and re-energising the accession
process with Turkey.
For more information
Annex 1: EU-Turkey Joint Action Plan Implementation
Report
Communication of 23 September 2015: Managing the refugee crisis: immediate operational,
budgetary and legal measures under the European Agenda on Migration
Communication of 14 October 2015: Managing the refugee crisis: State of Play of the
Implementation of the Priority Actions under the European Agenda on Migration
Communication of 15 December: A European Border and Coast Guard and effective
management of Europe's external borders
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