Brussels, 06/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 6 October, the European Commission made public the action plan it had put to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the previous day (see EUROPE 11403) on which agreement on principle was reached, the Commission says in a press release. The action plan sets out a range of joint initiatives and commitments, with the EU pledging to assist Turkey in managing the influx of migrants by means of resettlement programmes and Turkey, in return, stepping up efforts to control migratory flows to the EU and to tackle smuggling networks.
Under the terms of the action plan, the EU pledges, inter alia, to better inform refugees in Turkey of the risks involved in illegally crossing Europe's borders and of the possibilities available to them to enter the EU legally. The Commission says the EU will support Turkey in tackling people smugglers by reinforcing Turkish coast-guard patrols. Closer cooperation will be required on returns agreements and the policy of returning illegal migrants. A Frontex liaison officer will be deployed to gather information on smuggling networks. Additional financial assistance will be provided to Turkey to improve its border management system, and thus perhaps speeding up talks on visa liberalisation for Turkish citizens.
In return, Turkey will strengthen the interception capacity of its coast guards by upgrading its surveillance material and increasing cooperation with the Hellenic coast guard, speeding up readmission and returns procedures for migrants who illegally entered the EU through Turkey, stepping up cooperation with Greece and Bulgaria to prevent illegal migration across their common land borders by establishing a common centre in Capitan Andreevo. Turkey is also to strengthen the visa requirements applicable within its borders to nationals from countries that are potentially a source of irregular migration to the EU. In general, Ankara will also have to increase cooperation with Frontex.
On a more humanitarian level, the EU commits to providing additional financial assistance. In return, Turkey will improve living conditions for refugees and, for example, allow them to work and help them better integrate. Turkey will also open six refugee reception centres, built with EU co-funding. The Turkish mission to the EU has said that the action plan would be reviewed and counter-proposals made. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)