Brussels, 15/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - Progress in meeting the commitments made by both sides in the EU-Turkey framework agreement - or statement - of 18 March remains “fragile”, the Commission said on Wednesday 15 June in its second progress report. Continued successful implementation will depend largely on the political determination of the parties involved, the Commission said in a press release.
It is pleased, however, that the 18 March agreement has, it says, had a positive impact, considerably reducing arrivals in Greece. According to its figures, the average daily number of irregular crossings since 1 May is 47, compared with around 1,740 per day before implementation of the agreement.
Under the terms of the agreement, the EU will resettle a Syrian from Turkey to the EU for every Syrian returned to Turkey from the Greek islands after his/her claim has been properly assessed by the Greek authorities. Since the last report on 20 April, 462 irregular migrants, including 31 Syrians, have been returned to Turkey. The April report revealed that 325 irregular migrants who had arrived in Greece after 20 March had been returned. In total, this makes 787 people, some of whom had not applied for asylum in Greece and others who were sent back to Turkey after their application had been rejected.
In some cases, people could not be returned after Greece determined that Turkey was not a safe country for them. Greece, Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said on Wednesday 15 June, is putting in place new appeals committees to consider applications. In return 511 Syrians have been resettled in the EU.
With regard to the especially controversial aspect of the 18 March agreement/statement - the visa liberalisation scheme promised to Ankara - the Commission merely repeated that Turkey still had to fulfil the remaining benchmarks of the liberalisation roadmap (7 of a total of 72).
To date, €150 million has been allocated to humanitarian projects in Turkey under the Facility for Syrian Refugees in Turkey, the Commission says in its report. Turkey is due, in theory, to receive €6 billion for such projects over the next three years. The report also takes stock of Turkey's accession process to the EU and states, inter alia, that the Commission has submitted a proposal to the Council on chapter 33 (financial and budgetary provisions), enabling ministers to decide on the opening of this chapter by the end of June. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)