Fourth report on the progress made in the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement

During the period covered by this Fourth Report, the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement has confirmed the trend of a steady delivery of results, albeit in the face of many challenges.

There has been a substantial fall in the number of crossings since the activation of the Statement, which has continued in the period covered by this Report. The loss of life has been stemmed. The average number of daily arrivals from Turkey to the Greek islands continued at around 81 persons, much lower than the peaks seen in the same period last year. At the same time, the pace of returns from Greece to Turkey is too slow. As a result, additional pressure is put on the already overstretched reception facilities on the Greek islands, and this has contributed to recent public order incidents. While the overall scale of flows towards Greece remains far less than before the Statement, the situation deserves not only careful monitoring but, more importantly, additional efforts to help improve the situation on the Greek islands.

There has also been progress on other elements of the Statement. For example, the pace of resettlement of Syrian refugees from Turkey has been continuously accelerating. The EU has allocated over €2.2 billion of the €3 billion Facility for Refugees in Turkey and €677 million has now been disbursed.

This Fourth Report describes the continued trend of progress, as well as the measures still needed for the implementation of the Statement to be firmly rooted as a stable and sustainable pillar of EU policy. The European Council of 20 October 2016 noted that a lasting stabilisation of the situation on the Eastern Mediterranean route requires the further implementation of the Statement. Its conclusions called for further acceleration of returns from the Greek islands to Turkey; the rapid appointment of permanent coordinators in the Greek hotspots; Member States to respond in full to the calls for resources by the relevant EU Agencies in order to assist Greece; and for further progress on the full range of commitments vis-à-vis all Member States contained in the Statement, including as regards visa liberalisation. This report confirms the urgent need to progress on all these issues.

ESO: Background information: Commission reports on progress made under the European Agenda on Migration http://www.europeansources.info/record/commission-reports-on-progress-made-under-the-european-agenda-on-migration/

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