Debate on Turkey's progress in fulfilling the requirements of the Visa Liberalisation Roadmap, during the EP plenary session (09-12 May 2016) in Strasbourg. Statements by Jeanine HENNIS-PLASSCHAERT, EU Council Presidency, Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Mariya GABRIEL (EPP, BG), Tanja FAJON (S&amp;D, SI), Sophia IN'T VELD (ALDE, NL), Marie-Christine VERGIAT (GUE/NGL, FR), and Rebecca HARMS (Greens/EFA, DE)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EU - Türkiye (T)

Enlargement to Türkiye (T)

VERGIAT, Marie-Christine (GUE/NGL, FR)

IN 'T VELD, Sophia (Renew, NL)

GABRIEL, Mariya (EPP, BG, EC)

FAJON, Tanja (S&D, SI)

AVRAMOPOULOS, Dimitris (EL, EC)

HARMS, Rebecca (Greens/EFA, DE)

HENNIS-PLASSCHAERT, Jeanine (ALDE, NL)

Turkey's progress in fulfilling the requirements of the Visa Liberalisation Roadmap: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Jeanine HENNIS-PLASSCHAERT, EU Council Presidency, In the Commission's third report it is concluded that Turkey has achieved remarkable progress however it also becomes abundantly clear that Turkey has not yet managed to fulfil all 72 benchmarks, 7 benchmarks remain unfulfilled. Regarding two of this seven outstanding requirements Commission has noted that for practical and procedural reasons Turkey needs a longer timeline for implementation. In regard of the biometrical passports, practical solution consists of limiting visa freedom to the holders of the latest generation of biometrical passports. and when it comes to the Turkey's obligation to build up a tread record on the EU-Turkey re admission agreement, we simply need a bit more time as this agreement becomes effective next month.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Terrorism must be condemned in every form and everywhere, and we know how sensitive the issue of terrorism is for Turkey. But this proves how beneficial the close cooperation for Europol is for both sides, for this to be achieved, Turkey needs to further align its data protection standards to the European ones.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, The Commission also proposed to revise the existing suspension mechanism of the visa free regime. I want to be very clear on this: the suspension mechanism is not about Turkey. It is a horizontal provision which will apply to all the visa free countries and not only Turkey.

SOUNDBITE (Bulgarian), Mariya GABRIEL (EPP, BG), Our efforts should aim for an efficient break in emergency situations. The mechanism should be introduced in parallel with a potential approval with the visa liberalisation and not afterwards. In conclusion the relationship between the EU and Turkey is in a key stage. We need a clear signal for the necessity of changes of legislation where necessary to fulfil the criteria.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian), Tanja FAJON (S&amp;D, SI), This is not simply a question of political imaginativeness it is a question of development in the migration crisis and it is important that we should have a proper progressive approach. At the moment Turkey is very important to the solution to the migration crisis but this not means that we should be saying or making promises to Turkey without ensuring that all the conditions are fulfilled.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN&apos;T VELD (ALDE, NL), 'Just today we hear that - trough his offices advisor -  Mr Erdogan makes it known to the European Parliament that if the European Parliament takes the wrong decision that he will let the refugees travel to Europe. I mean that is black mail in my book ! Why is Europe open to black mail?  Because we are weak and divided ! Why we are weak and divided? Because the national government leaders fail to agree on a common EU refugee policy, that is why they find it easier to make deals with a dictator like Mr. Erdogan than to agree among themselves, leaders of EU countries on a proper EU common refugee policy.  Now, Council go home and do your homework.

SOUNDBITE (French), Marie-Christine VERGIAT (GUE/NGL, FR), You are telling that there is no attempt of discrimination on free movement of Turkish citizens, article 57.I am basically in favour of visa liberalisation agreement but not at any price and in any conditions. I'm not prepared to turn a blind eye to what is happening in Turkey. So I call on you Commissioner to tell us what the Commission is going to do about these criteria that Turkey is failing to respect? And these are not 'details'.

SOUNDBITE (German), Rebecca HARMS (Greens/EFA, DE), So as much as we want free movement visa liberation we can't use it to support the authoritarian path of President Erdogan. The events that are just described in the last few days are once again a call to the European Union to be much more in shaping its policy on Turkey.