Debate on the Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 March 2016 and outcome of the EU-Turkey summit, during the EP plenary session (11-14 April 2016) in Strasbourg. Statements by Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Giovanni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Rebecca HARMS (Greens/EFA, DE), Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF (ALDE, DE) and Josep-Maria TERRICABRAS (Greens/EFA, ES)

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EU - Türkiye (T)

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

PITTELLA, Gianni (S&D, IT)

TERRICABRAS, Josep-Maria (Greens/EFA, ES)

European Council meeting 17-18 March 2016 (T)

HARMS, Rebecca (Greens/EFA, DE)

LAMBSDORFF, Alexander Graf (ALDE, DE)

Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 March 2016 and outcome of the EU-Turkey summit: MEPs debate

SOUNDBITE (German), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), The return of illegal migrants is working and we are tackling the smugglers together that is the first message that we are sending. We are introducing order in the process and what we are doing in the Balkans is something we need to consider for the Mediterranean as well.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Giovanni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), We have an historical opportunity to overhaul Dublin, once again Juncker has offered a pack for an alliance with the Parliament, I'm firmly in favour of that Mr Juncker, an alliance with the EP, great, but for a courage's reform, a thorough going overhaul of the Dublin system is needed, so that we can come up with this genuine common European asylum policy.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), If you outsource your responsibilities to a third country as Turkey and in my opinion I can tell you, I think it is only the beginning of what I call a 'Turkish Bazar politics'. And why I'm saying that, because Mr Erdogan already declared in the Turkish Parliament that he will call off the agreement, that he has made with you if he has not within 2 months the visa liberalisation he requested. And then regardless he will keep his part of the agreement and will comply with all conditions of visa liberalisation, so it is clear that we have put ourselves in the hands of Erdogan, in fact of his government.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), (on rumours that Turkey would send Syrian migrants back to Syria, on the fact that Amnesty International and the Dutch State Television commented on this on the 12/4, addressing this question to Mr Tusk) Why are not you not examining this and is this true? And if this is true can we continue with a deal that is against international law and against our obligations, what are you doing, what is your answer to that? Are you inquiring in this? And is it true what Amnesty International and Dutch State Television have said?

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Yesterday the Italian coast guard have rescued not 50 people like normal, but 2.154 people, they have rescued. So what is the result of yesterday, only the figures of yesterday, people like to talk about figures here, these are the figures: From 700 to 50, from 50 to 2154. Is that a deal that is working?

SOUNDBITE (German), Rebecca HARMS (Greens/EFA, DE), To let the situation persist that we have now is not acceptable, the European Union needs to take the Greek authorities to task, because what is happening there is discrediting the EU whole refugee policy. This emergency, this disaster seems to being as a deterrent to discourage people from coming to Europe.

SOUNDBITE (German), Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF (ALDE, DE), We have to continue to check on case to case basis, we need to implement this efficiently and Member States need to follow on their commitments. Germany let Europe down, from 70.000 German police officer promised only 300 were dispatched. And to we need to promote legal migration into Europe otherwise the tragedy in the Mediterranean and elsewhere will just continue.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep-Maria TERRICABRAS (Greens/EFA, ES), We expect the Parliament to take all necessary steps to evaluate the legality of this agreement, together with the decisions based on it and contested in the Court of Justice.