Today representatives in the European Parliament will be discussing the ‘legal aspects, democratic control and implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement’ with the European Commission and Council during its Plenary Session in Brussels, before adopting a resolution on the controversial EU-Turkey deal.

The deal has already been widely criticised, with Amnesty International describing it as an “historic blow to human rights”. It has led the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to suspend some of its activities on the front line in Greece. But, worst of all, it has forced many to question whether the deal meets the moral standards which underpin the EU’s founding values. Turkey’s credentials as a safe place for refugees remain to be proven. Despite efforts over the past few years, reports of human rights violations are frequently reported and the situation at the Turkey-Syria border remains inhospitable to those fleeing war and prosecution. The refugee crisis presents a moral as well as economic, political and social challenge and it is imperative that the EU and individual Member States rise up to the occasion and provide a response worthy of the values of solidarity, respect for human rights and tolerance upon which the European project is built.

In its Policy Position on Migration, the European Movement International has argued that:

• Dignity and respect should be at the core of any refugee or asylum policy;
• Safe access to the EU should be ensured for those that seek asylum;
• Access to legal asylum procedures that respect the rule of law should be ensured for everyone;
• A European migration policy should be built on a common agenda and not on unilateral action contrary to European values;
• All Member States need to take their responsibility and make efforts to alleviate the pressure on the main countries of arrival;
• This solidarity should be reflected in a permanent and binding EU mechanism to ensure the fair sharing of responsibility to host asylum seekers and refugees.

The European Movement International believes that the EU’s deal with Turkey must include those elements if it is to be effective and truly European.

Background
The deal aims at the return of all new irregular migrants crossing from Turkey to the Greek islands back to Turkey, and features a commitment that, for every Syrian being returned to Turkey from the Greek islands, another Syrian will be resettled to the EU. This will be achieved thanks to an initially allocated €3 billion under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey with an additional €3 billion earmarked up to the end of 2018. A ‘Voluntary Humanitarian Admission Scheme’ will be activated following this period, once it is deemed that the flows have been substantially reduced. In addition the EU has agreed to accelerate the Visa Liberalisation Roadmap for Turkish citizens, and the EU and Turkey have agreed to work substantively together on the customs union and on improving humanitarian conditions inside Syria. Other measures will be to re-energise the EU accession process with the opening of chapter 33 and for Turkey to take necessary measures in preventing new sea or land routes for irregular migrant crossings from Turkey to the EU.

Read the full policy position on migration here.