EU-Turkey Agreement: first returns and resettlements

Met dank overgenomen van Europese Commissie (EC) i, gepubliceerd op maandag 4 april 2016.

The EU and Turkey have started replacing chaotic migratory flows by safe and legal routes to Europe for those in need of international protection. Irregular migrants start being returned from Greece to Turkey and Syrian refugees are resettled from Turkey to Europe.

On 18 March 2016, the European Union and Turkey agreed to replace disorganised, chaotic, irregular and dangerous migratory routes through new organised, safe and legal humanitarian pathways to Europe for those in need of international protection.

The EU is living up to its responsibilities in full respect of EU and international law.

Today, the two processes for returns and resettlements were launched as planned:

  • - 
    A group of people, who arrived in Greece after 20 March and have not introduced any asylum application in Greece, have been returned to Turkey;
  • - 
    Syrian refugees have been resettled from Turkey to Germany and Finland. Another group of Syrian refugees is expected to leave for the Netherlands on Tuesday 5 April.

In parallel, Dimitris Avramopoulos, Commissioner responsible for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, is in Ankara today to discuss the implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement.