Statement by Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), Chairman of AFET Commitee following the EC anouncement on Visa-free travel for citizens of Turkey as from June 2016, in the EP in Brussels.

Brussels

statement

EU - Türkiye (T)

BROK, Elmar (EPP, DE)

Visa policy (T2)

Visa-free travel for citizens of Turkey: statement by Elmar BROK (EPP, DE) Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

SOUNDBITE (English), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), AFET chairman , <p>I think it is an important step forward for sure Turkey has to fulfil all the conditions therefore the Commission has decided to do it under  the possibility to suspend the agreement if the conditions are not fulfilled but I think if there are fulfilled we have also on European side more security because biometric passports are so much more better than the present situation and the re admission agreement gives further security for us, so then we should do that deal  but on the condition of the fulfilment of the conditions and we have to see also that the Europeans already feel free regime when they go to Turkey.</p>

<p>For sure I think if the country doesn't t fulfil it there will be a suspension clause there then, I think generally if someone doesn't fulfil an agreement than the agreement fails. We made clear that there is a suspension clause. If that goes without technical problems, I think it is further security for us if that is done in a proper way.</p>

SOUNDBITE (English), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), I think (the negotiations) it is very fast but the question is not the speed the question is the professionalism in what have been negotiated and the practical results that we have to check that has to be complete on the next meetings and the Council of Ministers of the EU has to check whether the conditions are met.

We have the heads of state and governments that did an agreement with Turkey. This agreement is helpful for us, in October we had 10 thousand migrants from Turkey to Greece in one day, and this week we had 50 - an average - per one day. So that is an advantage for the refugees, for their better living in Turkey so they don t go back to their countries, it is positive fight against the smugglers which destroys lives in the Mediterranean and it is a good possibility for us. And there commitment has to be fulfilled for the visa regime what is wrong with that. If we say Erdogan is not a democratic leader then let us not also make an agreement with China and Russia.