REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL EU-Turkey Joint Action Plan - Third implementation report
Date: 2016-03-04
Institutions: Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, Türkiye, admission of aliens, aid to refugees, border control, cross-border cooperation, external border of the EU, migration policy, refugee, return migration

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 4.3.2016  COM(2016) 144 final   REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL EU-Turkey Joint Action Plan - Third implementation report  
 
 
EU-Turkey Joint Action Plan 
Third implementation report  
Reporting period: 1 February to 2 March  

Introduction 

On  29  November  2015,  at  the  EU-Turkey  summit,  Turkey  and  the  EU  activated  the  Joint 
Action Plan (JAP) that had been agreed ad referenda on 15 October 2015. The aim of the JAP 
is  to  step up cooperation for the support  of Syrian refugees under temporary  protection and 
their host communities in Turkey and to strengthen cooperation to prevent irregular migration 
flows to the EU. The implementation of the JAP should thus bring order into migratory flows 
and help to stem irregular migration.  

This is the third JAP implementation report covering the period from 1 February to 2 March1. 
Its aim is to inform on the effective follow up given by Turkey and the EU to their respective 
commitments  during  the  reporting  period,  three months  after  the  activation  of  the  JAP.  The 
JAP implementation reports are part of an overall effort to monitor the situation closely.  

1.  Part 1  

1.1. 

 Statistical data (in the EU) 

One of the key objectives of the JAP is to achieve results in particular in stemming the influx 
of  irregular  migrants.  In  order  to  track  progress,  an  EU-Turkey  data  collection  process  was 
established in early 2016.2 

The number of people arriving irregularly to the EU from Turkey is still high for this period 
of the year when winter conditions were expected to contribute to a decrease in the number of 
arrivals. More specifically, in the reporting period (i.e. from 1 February to 2 March): 

  The total number of irregular migrants who have reached the EU by sea and land (i.e. 
via Greece and Bulgaria) was 56 887 until 29 February. Most of them i.e. 56 335 or 
99% crossed the Aegean Sea to the Greek islands.  

  The daily average of irregular crossings to Greece was 1 943 until 29 February, 19 to 

Bulgaria and the total was 1 962.  

  On a weekly basis, irregular arrivals to Greece were on average 13 358.   

A trend of decrease was marked in the first half of February, but figures went up again in the 
second half of February.  

For the sake of comparison with previous months: 

  The total numbers of irregular arrivals from Turkey to Greece in September, October, 
November,  December  2015,  January  and  February  2016  were  respectively  147  639, 
214 792, 154 381, 104 399, 61 602 and 56 335.   

  For the same months the corresponding daily averages were 4 921 persons, 6 929,  

5 146, 3 368, 1 987 and 1 943.   

1 However, the report refers also in some cases to data, developments and decisions taken previously or on the 
first days of March. 
2 In this context, three Joint Overviews have been elaborated between the EU and Turkey. On the EU side, the 
data collection exercise makes full use of the Integrated Political Crisis Response (IPCR). 

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The irregular entries from Turkey to Greece in December, January and February are presented 
in the following graphs: graph 1 illustrates the number of irregular arrivals per day and graph 
2 presents the irregular arrivals per week3.  

Graph  3  illustrates  the  number  of  irregular  arrivals  per  month  from  Turkey  to  Greece  from 
September 2015 to February 2016. Graph 4 shows the irregular arrivals in the same period i.e. 
from September 2015 to February 2016, broken down by the predominant nationalities (based 
on the declaration of migrants upon their arrival) i.e. Syrians followed by Afghanis and Iraqis. 
The broken down figures reveal a diminishing percentage of Syrians (from 69% to 51%) and 
an increasing percentage of Afghanis (from 18% to 25%) and Iraqis (from 8% to 17%). 

Graph 1: Source: Frontex Western Balkans reporting data 

3 As done in the first and second JAP implementation reports, these graphs present only the entries from Turkey 
to Greece as these represent more than 99% of the total entries. 

3 

 
 
 
 
                                                            
Graph 2: Source: Frontex Western Balkans reporting data 

Graph 3: Source: Frontex FRAN data (2015) and Western Balkans reporting data (January- 
February 2016). 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
Graph 4: Source: Frontex FRAN data (2015) and JORA data (January - February 2016) as of 
2 March 2016. JORA data are preliminary operational data subject to change. 

The irregular arrivals from Turkey to Greece present a changing pattern; they have declined 
overall since October and stabilised during January and February (see graphs 1, 2 and 3) at a 
daily average of about 1 960 arrivals. They were 209 and 2266 on 1 and 2 March respectively. 
Taking into account the winter season, figures remain high for this period of the year – more 
than 120 000 migrants entered the EU irregularly via Greece since the beginning of the year. 

The  legislative  and  operational  measures  taken  by  the  Turkish  authorities  to  stem  irregular 
migration  appear  nevertheless  to  have  had  some  first  impact  on  the  migratory  flows.  Other 
political developments in the conflict area, in Turkey and in the EU Member States have also 
certainly  affected  the  number  of  irregular  crossings  from  Turkey  to  Greece  (e.g. 
intensification of the conflict in Syria; decisions of some Member States and Balkan countries 
to restrict the number of migrants allowed to cross their territory).  

1.2. Statistical data (in Turkey) 

On 2 March, Turkey submitted a new set of data regarding the implementation of the JAP, as 
agreed in the framework of the Integrated Political Crisis Response (IPCR) process and on the 
basis of a standard template. The EU-Turkey joint data collection exercise continues regularly 
and constructively. 
Turkey is currently hosting 2 928 975 refugees from Syria4 to whom it is granting temporary 
protection status as a group. This status provides access to public services such as education 
and health care. Since 15 January 2016, it also provides access to the labour market. By 20 
February,  15  applications  for  a  work  permit  had  been  made  to  the  Turkish  authorities  by 

4 Number of registered Syrian refugees as communicated by the Turkish authorities on 2 March, totalling stock 
in temporary protection centres (273 519) and in communities (2 655 456); there were 77 059 new registrations 
between 1 February and 2 March. 

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Syrian refugees. On 15 February, 273 519 Syrians were being hosted in refugee camps5 where 
they are provided with a wide range of support.  

On the basis of the data provided on 2 March by the Turkish authorities to the IPCR: 

  350 000 Syrian children under temporary protection were enrolled in school. 

  151 746 babies were born in the camps until 5 February. 

  On 1 February, Turkey had registered 256 700 non-Syrians while 141 059 applications 
for international protection were pending. The top 5 nationalities of those requesting 
international  protection  are  Iraqis  (51%),  Afghanis  (25%),  Iranians  (14%),  Somalis 
(2.5%) and Palestinians (1%).   

  During the period 1-15 February, 7 011 Syrians entered regularly Turkey and 12 769 
exited  Turkey.  The  corresponding  regular  entries  and  exits  for  Iranians  were  65  546 
and  62  226;  for  Iraqis  30  026  and  26  338;  for  Lebanese  3  134  and  3  230  and  for 
Jordanians  3  733  and  3  380.  Depending  on  the  visa  duration,  foreigners  can  stay  in 
Turkey  up  to  90  days.  Foreigners  who  are  entitled  to  enter  Turkey  without  visa  can 
stay in the country up to 90 days within a period of 180 days. 

  On 24 and 25 February, the Turkish and Greek readmission authorities met in Ankara 
to deal with a backlog of 864 readmission requests submitted by Greece. On 1 and 2 
March Turkey readmitted 267 illegal migrants. 

  Turkey and Greece established a Working Group on Migration. The Working Group 
convened its first meeting on 27 November 2015 in Ankara and its second meeting on 
1 February 2016 in Athens.  

  From  1  to  29  February  the  Turkish  law  enforcement  and  border  agencies  prevented     
8 540 migrants from sea borders and 15 986 from land borders from irregularly exiting 
the Turkish territory towards the EU. On 15 February alone, the Turkish Coast Guard 
apprehended 985 irregular migrants in Ayvalık, Çeşme and Bodrum. In particular, the 
Turkish  law  enforcement  bodies  apprehended  more  than  15  000  irregular  migrants 
from 16 to 29 February. 

joint 

specific 

  From 1 to 15 February, the Turkish Coast Guard, Police and Gendarmerie carried out 
irregular  migrants, 
ten 
aimed 
facilitators/smugglers  and  preventing  irregular  departures.  This  resulted  in  the 
apprehension of 97 irregular migrants and 308 facilitators and smugglers (of whom 11 
at  sea  and  297  at  land  borders).  In  addition,  the  Turkish  law  enforcement  bodies 
apprehended 391 facilitators and smugglers during 16-29 February. 

operations 

arresting 

at 

 

 

In January, the Turkish Gendarmerie and the Police confiscated eight vans, one boat, 
eleven mini-buses, three buses, 15 cars and nine ships. 

In  January,  the  Turkish  Coast  Guard,  Police  and  Gendarmerie  were  provided  with  a 
number of training courses with the aim to strengthen their capacity in the fight against 
irregular migration. 

The Turkish Coast Guard, the Police and the Gendarmerie play a key role in the apprehension 
of irregular migrants and smugglers.  

5 For refugee camps, Turkey uses the term ‘temporary protection centres’. 

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Part 2:  

Implementation of Turkey’s commitments under the EU-Turkey Joint Action Plan  

According  to  information  that  Turkey  provided  in  the  framework  of  the  visa  liberalisation 
dialogue: 

On 1 February 2016, the Council of Ministers met and discussed ways of furthering Turkey’s 
response to irregular migration. The Council of Ministers emphasised Turkey’s determination 
in the fight against irregular migration and decided to: 

  Strengthen border controls. 

  Reinforce cooperation between the law enforcement authorities. 

  Establish a special unit on migrant smuggling within the Turkish National Police.  

 

Increase penalties for migrant smugglers. 

  Launch new operations to break migrant smuggling networks. 

  Strengthen the interception capacity of the Turkish Coast Guard. 

 

Increase the capacity of removal centres in Turkey. 

In a meeting in December 2015 the Gendarmerie decided to increase its patrolling activities at 
the eastern, south-eastern and western borders of the country. In this context, six provinces in 
eastern and south-eastern borders as well as eight provinces in western borders were identified 
as primary places for reinforced patrolling activities. 

As of 14 January 2016, the Turkish Coast Guard acquired access to the Ship Register System 
set up by the Ministry of Transport where all purchase, sale and cancellation procedures on 
ships  are  recorded.  In  addition,  Turkey  is  working  on  access  to  Interpol  database  of  stolen 
foreigner ships. 

Turkey  ratified the tripartite agreement with Greece and Bulgaria. The agreement will enter 
into force following its publication in Turkey’s Official Journal.  

Turkey  made  significant  progress  towards  the  implementation  of  the  Turkey-Greece 
readmission  obligations.  On  24  and  25  February,  a  Greek  and  a  Turkish  delegation  met  in 
Ankara to deal with a backlog of 864 readmission requests. On 26 February, Turkey approved 
859  of  the  requests.  Greece  had  still  in  detention  308  illegal  migrants  and  an  immediate 
transfer  of  the  returnees  by  bus  on  1  and  2  March  was  launched.  Furthermore,  Turkey  and 
Greece  progressed  on  their  discussions  to  establish  much  more  effective  readmission 
procedures, including on deployment of Turkish liaison officers to five hotspots (starting with 
Lesbos)  for  facilitating  returns  of  economic  migrants.  Greece  and  Turkey  also  agreed  to 
organise  a  bi-weekly  videoconference  to  exchange  and  further  improve  operational 
cooperation. Furthermore, they agreed to strengthen operational cooperation for returns with 
the  support  of  the  EU  and  Frontex  including  the  organisation  of  joint  flights  for  returns.  In 
addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior continue consultations 
with  regard  to  the  Greek  proposal  to  increase  the  number  of  locations  in  Turkey  for  the 
readmission  of  irregular  migrants  in  addition  to  existing  locations  in  Dikili  (in  the  Aegean 
coast, İzmir Province) and Ipsala (at the land border between Turkey and Greece). 

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On 5 February, Turkey revised its visa policy towards Iraqis. According to new rules, as of 10 
February  it  is  no  longer  possible  for  Iraqi  citizens  to  obtain  visas  at  the  border.  In  order  to 
enter Turkey, Iraqi citizens need to apply to the Turkish diplomatic missions abroad or apply 
for  an  e-visa.  In  addition,  as  of  5  February,  the  e-visa  procedure  has  been  narrowed  and  is 
now open only for holders of valid Schengen, USA, UK or Ireland visas/residence permits.  

Turkey  proposed  the  negotiation  of  bilateral  readmission  agreements  to  14  countries, 
including  those  that  are  source  of  irregular  migration  to  the  EU  via  Turkey.  It  also  started 
preparatory work to establish that the nationals of 18 countries considered as potential source 
of irregular migration should be in possession of an airport transit visa when passing through 
the international transit area in Turkey. 

On  8  February  and  in  view  of  the  full  entry  into  force  of  the  EU-Turkey  readmission 
agreement on 1 June, the Turkish authorities carried out  a study visit to Georgia in order to 
see  how  their  national  electronic  system  on  readmission  functions.  Turkey  is  currently 
evaluating the system and will make decisions in the following weeks.  

Turkey  agreed  with  Europol  on  the  draft  Liaison  agreement  on  posting  a  Turkish  police 
liaison officer to Europol. This draft needs to be signed urgently. 

The Turkish Parliament started discussing draft legislation on personal data protection; it has 
already  adopted  some  articles.  However,  inconsistencies  of  the  draft  law  with  European 
standards persist, mainly with regard to the independence of the data protection authority and 
the exclusion of law enforcement authorities and intelligence activities from the scope of the 
law. The adoption of data protection legislation compatible with European standards is crucial 
as  it  would  enable  Turkey  to  cooperate  more  closely  with  Europol,  Eurojust  and  Member 
States enforcement agencies. 

On 26 February, the DGMM held the second meeting with the immigration liaison officers of 
EU Member States deployed in Turkey with the aim to strengthen cooperation in the field of 
migration. 

Part 3:  

Implementation of EU commitments under the EU-Turkey Joint Action Plan  

Following  the  political  agreement  by  reached  Member  States  on  3  February,  on  funding 
sources  and  operating  modalities  for  the  Facility  for  Refugees  in  Turkey  (the  Facility),  the 
first  meeting  of  the  Steering  Committee  was  convened  on  17  February.  The  Committee 
decided to start delivering assistance as soon as possible with the prime objective to address,  
the humanitarian needs of refugee population living in Turkey as well as access to education 
of  Syrian  children.  Today,  about  400  000  Syrian  children  cannot  go  to  school.  This  is  an 
important push factor jeopardising not only their immediate well-being but also their chance 
to build a future.  

Acting swiftly on this decision of the Steering Committee,  the Commission allocated a first 
amount of EUR 90 million from the EU humanitarian budget to be implemented by a number 
of accredited humanitarian partner organisations. The allocation is currently being contracted 
in order to quickly expand the provision of humanitarian assistance including food, non-food 
items, health, water and sanitation and protection in Turkey. The EU is also preparing the first 
measure  under  the  Facility  to  allow  for  more  than  110  000  additional  Syrian  school-aged 
children  living  outside  camps  in  Turkey  to  have  access  to  formal  education.  It  should 

8 

 
 
 
 
materialise in the days to come. In this respect, a transfer of EUR 55 million from the Facility 
to the EU Trust Fund in response to the Syrian crisis will be adopted next week. 

In  addition,  the  EU  agreed  to  finance  a  EUR  20  million  project  under  the  Instrument 
Contributing to Stability and Peace aimed at reinforcing the Turkish Coast Guard patrolling 
and surveillance capacity. 

The  needs  assessment  for  Syrian  refugees  in  Turkey  which  the  Commission  is  carrying  out 
with the Turkish authorities is going on and a first overview is expected by mid-March while 
completion of the study is foreseen by the end of April, provided that Turkey will make its 
contribution available in the coming days. The needs assessment will help identify projects to 
be  funded  through  the  Facility.  In  the  meantime,  the  Commission  has  already  identified 
education  and  improvement  of  the  employability  of  Syrian  refugees  as  priority  areas  for 
immediate support. The current provisional estimate is that humanitarian needs could cover a 
third of the assistance, while two thirds could support access to education (big focus), local 
infrastructures and job opportunities. 

In the reporting period, the EU held discussions with Turkey in order to: 

  Advance  preparations  for  the  full  implementation  of  the  EU-Turkey  readmission 

agreement as of 1 June; 

  Substantially improve the implementation of the Turkey-Greece bilateral readmission 
protocol that resulted in processing the backlog of readmission requests and transfers 
of returnees;  

  Continue technical work on the voluntary humanitarian admission scheme; 

  Accelerate JAP implementation (e.g. discussing and implementing concrete measures 

that contribute to resolute and focused implementation of the JAP). 

The Commission and Turkey continued discussions on the priorities for the 2016 programme 
under the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA) assistance, with a clear focus on increasing the 
financial assistance to support Turkey in meeting the requirement of the Visa Liberalisation 
Roadmap.  

The assistance coordinated through the Facility for Refugees in Turkey will complement the 
EU assistance already provided in Turkey to directly support Syrian refugees and Turkish host 
communities.  Since  the  beginning  of  the  crisis,  over  EUR  350  million  from  the  EU  budget 
have been committed to this end. Out of this amount, EUR 71 million has been contracted so 
far for humanitarian aid purposes via relevant humanitarian organisations to primarily assist 
refugees in Turkey. In addition, a first response programme worth EUR 18 million from IPA 
approved in May 2015 by the Board of the EU Trust Fund in response to the Syrian crisis is 
implemented  on  the  ground  to  address  immediate  educational  and  food  security  needs  of 
Syrian  refugees  in  Turkey  through  agreements  with  UNICEF  and  the  WFP  signed  in 
September  2015.  At  the  end  of  2015,  EUR  165  million  from  IPA  2012  funds  at  risk  of  de-
commitment, including EUR 25  million of Turkish  co-financing, have  been  allocated to  the 
Trust Fund for projects in Turkey, together with another EUR 15 million from IPA 2013 and 
2015.  

The  EU  continued  providing  significant  assistance  to  Syrian  refugees  hosted  in  Lebanon, 
Jordan and Iraq as well as to Syrians displaced within Syria.  

9 

 
 
 
The EU finalised the recruitment and pre-posting training of a Frontex Liaison Officer who is 
going to be deployed to Turkey shortly. 

Part 4  

Conclusions and recommendations 

The numbers  of irregular  migrants entering the EU from Turkey are overall in  a decreasing 
trend since October 2015, but these numbers have started to rise again in the two last weeks of 
February and remain high considering this period of the year.  

Turkey has taken a number of actions in order to implement the Joint Action Plan as set out 
above, but these joint efforts are not yet translating into a sufficient or sustainable reduction in 
flows. To address this worrying phenomenon of too high inflows, Turkey needs as a matter of 
urgency  to  make  further  significant  progress  in  preventing  irregular  departures  of  migrants 
and  refugees  from  its  territory  and  in  strengthening  the  fight  against  smugglers.  In  this 
respect,  stepping  up  land  based  operations  to  prevent  irregular  departures  and  increasing 
national and international efforts to fight more effectively against the smuggling of migrants 
are of crucial importance.  

The  migration  pattern  has  been  changing  over  the  last  months  with  nearly  50%  of  the  total 
number of irregular migrants having reached the EU in February being of non-Syrian origin 
(e.g. Afghanis, Iraqis, Pakistanis, Iranians, Moroccans, Bangladeshis, Palestinians, Algerians). 
To address this phenomenon, Turkey is invited to swiftly negotiate and conclude readmission 
agreements with the relevant third countries, in particular those which are source of irregular 
migration to the EU, and to accelerate the ratification of those agreements which have already 
been signed but have not yet entered into force. 

Turkey needs to ensure that applicable procedures for the award of the international protection 
status are concluded swiftly as foreseen by its national legislation, leading to either the clear 
granting  of  the  refugee  status  or  a  rejection.  Turkey  also  needs  to  ensure  that  irregular 
migrants  found  not  to  be  in  need  of  international  protection  are  prevented  from  making 
irregular movements towards the EU.   

One  of  the  main  achievements  of  the  reporting  period  is  the  significant  progress  made  by 
Turkey  and  Greece  in  the  implementation  of  their  bilateral  readmission  protocol.  This  is  of 
particular importance as it offers the basis for an enhanced implementation of the EU-Turkey 
readmission agreement and opens the prospect that all economic migrants and migrants whose 
claims  for  international  protection  are  turned  down  can  effectively  be  returned  to  Turkey 
within  a  short  deadline.  Work  now  needs  to  intensify  on  ensuring  the  timely  transfer  of 
returnees;  agreeing  on  the  terms  of  reference  for  the  joint  work;  putting  in  place  expedited 
procedures; deployment of liaison officers on five islands; effective communication about the 
readmission  process  to  discourage  irregular  migration  and  further  developing  the  Greek 
capacity to ensure such returns.  

Turkey is urged to strengthen its action against smuggling of migrants, notably by increasing 
its cooperation with the EU and Member State actors. More specifically, Turkey is requested 
to  take  decisive  action  against  migrant  smuggling;  to  further  strengthen  efforts  to  prevent 
irregular  crossings  from  Turkey  to  the  EU,  in  particular  by  stepping  up  land  based  law 
enforcement  activities;  to  further  increase  the  efforts  of  the  Coast  Guard  and  other  law 
enforcement  authorities  in  carrying  out  joint  operations;  to  step  up  information  sharing  on 
migrant  smuggling  among  the  Turkish  law  enforcement  bodies  and  with  EU  and  Member 

10 

 
 
States actors as well as facilitating cooperation in the framework of the NATO operation  in 
the Aegean Sea. 

Turkey  is  also  invited  to  accelerate  preparations  for  the  implementation  of  the  EU-Turkey 
readmission  agreement  for  readmitting  third  country  nationals  as  of  1  June  2016.  In  this 
regard, it is essential that the Council adopts as soon as possible the position to be taken by 
the EU in the Joint Readmission Committee regarding this Committee’s decision to enable the 
application of the EU-Turkey readmission agreement provisions for third country nationals as 
of 1 June 20166.  

Turkey  also  needs  to  intensify  its  cooperation  with  the  EU  in  the  assessment  of  needs  of 
Syrian refugees which should help programme the assistance under the Facility for Refugees 
in Turkey. 

Following  agreement  on  the  Facility  for  Refugees  in  Turkey,  the  EU  on  its  side  needs  to 
accelerate the delivery of assistance addressing the needs of refugees under the Facility. The 
identified priority sectors for financial assistance to refugees in Turkey are humanitarian aid, 
education, labour market integration, health care and social inclusion, municipal infrastructure 
and  support  for  the  management  of  refugee  flows.  The  on-going  needs  assessment  will 
provide  a  detailed  funding  gap  analysis  and  serve  to  prioritise  funding  needs  in  all  sectors. 
The Facility Steering Committee will provide strategic guidance and will decide upon specific 
actions, amounts and best financial instruments to be used. The Commission will convene the 
second meeting of the Steering Committee as soon as a first overview of the needs assessment 
becomes available. 

Turkey and the EU need to continue to operationalise their work on the resolute and focused 
implementation  of the Joint Action Plan.  It is important that such joint efforts show rapidly 
results on the ground, in particular in stemming the influx of irregular migrants. 

To  conclude,  Turkey  has  made  a  good  start  in  implementing  the  Joint  Action  Plan  and  is 
urged  to  continue  and  further  reinforce  its  steps  towards  full,  speedy  and  effective 
implementation of the Joint Action Plan.  

On its side, the Commission will continue to increase its efforts to ensure speedy and effective 
implementation  of  the  EU-Turkey  Joint  Action  Plan.  The  Commission  will  continue  to 
monitor the Joint Action Plan closely and will report regularly on its implementation. 

6  COM(2016) 72 final 2016/0044 (NLE) 

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