European Council, Brussels, 17 – 18 March 2016

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details 17-18.03.16
Publication Date 17/03/2016
Content Type

17 March 2016

European Parliament President Martin Schulz addressed European heads of state and government at the start of the EU summit dedicated to the migration crisis and economic priorities. He said that talks with Turkey on dealing with the refugee crisis should not be linked to the country's efforts to join the EU. "Turkey won't get any discounts on media freedom and minority protection, the separation of powers or the rule of law", he said, calling them 'non-negotiable issues'.

Jobs, growth and competitiveness / climate and energy

The European Council discussed the economic situation. In the context of the 2016 European Semester, the EU leaders endorsed the policy priority areas of the Annual Growth Survey:
- re-launching investment
- implementing structural reforms to modernise the economies
- conducting responsible fiscal policies.

EU leaders also discussed the difficult situation in the steel sector and in agriculture, notably in the dairy and pig meat sectors. They welcomed the intention of the European Commission to publish a communication on an action plan on VAT.

The European Council also welcomed the submission by the European Commission of the package on energy security. It underlined the EU's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions domestically and to increase the share of renewable energies and improve energy efficiency as agreed by the European Council in October 2014. Adapting the legislation to implement this framework is a priority. EU leaders look forward to the signature of the Paris Agreement in New York on 22 April 2016 and its entry into force.

18 March 2016

Meeting of EU leaders with Turkey

To achieve their goals, EU and Turkish leaders agreed on a series of action points:
- returning to Turkey all irregular migrants crossing from Turkey to the Greek islands as from 20 March 2016, in full accordance with EU and international law
- for every Syrian returned to Turkey, another Syrian will be resettled from Turkey to the EU, on the basis of existing commitments
- Turkey will take any necessary measures to prevent new sea or land routes for illegal migration
- once irregular crossings are ending, a voluntary humanitarian admission scheme will be activated
- the EU will further speed up the disbursement of the initially allocated €3bn and will mobilise an additional €3bn once these resources are used and provided commitments have been met
- the EU and Turkey will work to improve humanitarian conditions inside Syria.

EU leaders and Turkey also agreed to accelerate the fulfilment of the visa liberalisation roadmap, with a view to lifting visa requirements for Turkish citizens by end of June 2016 at the latest, if all benchmarks have been met. They reconfirmed their commitment to re-energise the accession process as set out in the joint statement of 29 November 2015. They agreed, as a next step, to open chapter 33 during the Netherlands presidency.

Migration

The European Council further discussed and confirmed its comprehensive strategy to tackle the migration crisis. They called for:
- more work to be done on hotspots
- support the capacity of Greece for the return of irregular migrants to Turkey
- emergency humanitarian support to be provided to help Greece
- accelerated relocation from Greece
- the quick adoption of the European Border and Coast Guard proposal
- work on the future architecture of the EU's migration policy, including the Dublin regulation.

EU leaders reaffirmed their support to Jordan and Lebanon and called for strengthened cooperation with the Western Balkans countries.

Following the signing of the EU-Turkey agreement at the European Council, European Commission President Juncker appointed Maarten Verwey to act as the EU Coordinator to implement the EU-Turkey statement. EU Member States agreed to provide Greece at short notice with the necessary means, including border guards, asylum experts and interpreters, to implement the agreement as from 20 March 2016.

Amnesty International said that "Guarantees to scrupulously respect international law are incompatible with the touted return to Turkey of all irregular migrants arriving on the Greek islands as of Sunday. Turkey is not a safe country for refugees and migrants, and any return process predicated on its being so will be flawed, illegal and immoral - whatever phantom guarantees precede this pre-declared outcome".

John Dalhuisen, Director for Europe and Central Asia of Amnesty International said: "The 'double-speak' this deal is cloaked in fails to hide the European Union's dogged determination to turn its back on a global refugee crisis, and wilfully ignore its international obligations".

The UN's refugee agency said big questions remained about how the deal would work in practice and called for urgent improvements to Greece's system for assessing refugees.

UNHCR said "How this plan is to be implemented is thus going to be crucial. Ultimately, the response must be about addressing the compelling needs of individuals fleeing war and persecution. Refugees need protection, not rejection".

At their meeting on 17 March 2016, EU leaders discussed further steps to address the migration crisis and EU-Turkey cooperation. They also held a debate on the economic situation and adopted the conclusions on jobs, growth and competitiveness and on climate and energy.

On 18 March 2016, EU leaders met with their Turkish counterpart, Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmed Davutoğlu. They reached an agreement aimed at stopping the flow of irregular migration via Turkey to Europe, breaking the business model of smugglers and offering migrants an alternative to putting their lives at risk.

Source Link http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/european-council/2016/03/17-18/
Related Links
ESO: Background information: International Summit: Meeting of the EU heads of state or government with Turkey, Brussels, 7 March 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/international-summit-meeting-of-the-eu-heads-of-state-or-government-with-turkey-brussels-7-march-2016/
ESO: Information Guide: European Migration Challenges http://www.europeansources.info/record/information-guide-european-migration-challenges/
European Commission: Economic and Financial Affairs: EU economic governance: The European Semester http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/economic_governance/the_european_semester/index_en.htm
ESO: Background information: Press Release: European Semester 2016: Commission publishes Country Reports http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-european-semester-2016-commission-publishes-country-reports/
European Council: Press Release, 16.03.16: Invitation letter by President Donald Tusk to the members of the European Council http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/03/16-tusk-euco-invitation-letter/
ESO: Background information: European Council Conclusions on migration (18 February 2016) http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-council-conclusions-on-migration-18-february-2016/
ESO: Background information: Relocation and Resettlement: EU Member States urgently need to deliver http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-relocation-and-resettlement-eu-member-states-urgently-need-to-deliver/
ESO: Background information: Six Principles for further developing EU-Turkey Cooperation in tackling the Migration Crisis http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-six-principles-for-further-developing-eu-turkey-cooperation-in-tackling-the-migration-crisis/
European Parliament: Press Release, 17.03.16: Schulz: 'We cannot and should not outsource our problems to Turkey' http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20160314STO19278/
European Council: Press Release, 17.03.16: European Council conclusions on jobs, growth and competitiveness and on climate and energy, 17 March 2016 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/03/17-euco-intermediate-conclusions/
Council of the European Union: Policies: European semester: European Semester in 2016 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/european-semester/2016/
ESO: Background information: European Council conclusions on jobs, growth and competitiveness and on climate and energy, 17 March 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-european-council-conclusions-on-jobs-growth-and-competitiveness-and-on-climate-and-energy-17-march-2016/
EurActiv, 18.03.16: Migrant returns start Sunday, after EU and Turkey strike refugee swap deal http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/migrant-returns-start-sunday-after-eu-and-turkey-strike-refugee-swap-deal/
EUObserver, 18.03.16: Smuggled migrants to leave Greece from Sunday onward https://euobserver.com/migration/132751
Politico, 18.03.16: EU and Turkey reach refugee deal http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-and-turkey-finalize-refugee-deal/
European Council: Press Release, 18.03.16: EU-Turkey statement, 18 March 2016 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/03/18-eu-turkey-statement/
Deutsche Welle, 18.03.16: EU-Turkey migrant deal done http://dw.com/p/1IFxb
Amnesty International: Press Release, 18.03.16: EU-Turkey deal a historic blow to human rights http://www.amnesty.eu/en/news/press-releases/all/eu-turkey-deal-a-historic-blow-to-human-rights-0967/
UNHCR: Press Release, 18.03.16: UNHCR on EU-Turkey deal: Asylum safeguards must prevail in implementation http://www.unhcr.org/56ec533e9.html
The Guardian, 18.03.16: Refugees will be sent back across Aegean in EU-Turkey deal http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/18/refugees-will-be-sent-back-across-aegean-in-eu-turkey-deal
BBC News, 19.03.16: Migrant crisis: Amnesty hits out at EU over Turkey deal http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35849167
UK: GOV.UK: Speech, 18.03.16: PM statement following European Council meeting: 18 March 2016 https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-following-european-council-meeting-18-march-2016
European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: Press Release,IP/16/942: President Juncker appoints EU Coordinator to organise operational implementation in Greece http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-942_en.htm
European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: MEMO/16/963: Factsheet: EU-Turkey Agreement: Questions and Answers http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-963_en.htm
European Council: Press Release, 18.03.16: Remarks by President Donald Tusk after the meeting of the EU heads of state or government with Turkey http://www.consilium.europa.eu/press/press-releases/2016/03/18-tusk-remarks-after-euco-turkey/
EUObserver 21.03.16: 11 days: EU leaders' near fallout over Turkey https://euobserver.com/political/132761
Blog: Open Europe 18.03.16: The EU-Turkey migrant deal: what’s in it and what it means for the UK http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/the-eu-turkey-migrant-deal-whats-in-it-and-what-it-means-for-the-uk/
EP: EPRS: Briefing - Post-European Council Briefing, April 2016: Outcome of the European Council of 17-18 March 2016 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2016/581401/EPRS_BRI(2016)581401_EN.pdf
openDemocracy: Can Europe Make It?, Tag: Turkey-EU deal https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/turkey-eu-deal

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