Press Release: Six Principles for further developing EU-Turkey Cooperation in tackling the Migration Crisis

On 7 March 2016, EU leaders agreed that bold moves were needed to close down people smuggling routes, to break the business model of the smugglers, to protect the EU external borders and to end the migration crisis in Europe. To achieve this, the leaders warmly welcomed the additional proposals made by Turkey and agreed to work with Turkey on the basis of a set of six principles. The President of the European Council was tasked with taking forward these proposals and working out the details with Turkey before the European Council of 18-19 March 2016.

The Communication from 16 March 2016 was the European Commission's contribution to the European Council and set out how the six principles should be taken forward, delivering on the full potential for EU-Turkey cooperation while respecting European and international law.

The six principles were:

1. Legal safeguards for the return of all new irregular migrants and asylum seekers crossing from Turkey into the Greek islands
2. A 1:1 resettlement scheme
3. Accelerating the Visa Liberalisation Roadmap
4. Speed up the disbursement of funds under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey
5. Accelerating Accession Negotiations
6. Improving the humanitarian conditions inside Syria

• Primary Source

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: 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/

European Council: Statement, 15.03.16: Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting in Ankara with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/03/15-tusk-remarks-davutoglu-ankara/

ESO: Background information: European Council, Brussels, 17 - 18 March 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-council-brussels-17-18-march-2016/

ESO: Background information: EU-Turkey migration deal on life support http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-turkey-migration-deal-on-life-support/

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