Lessons Learnt from the EU‐Turkey Refugee Agreement in Guiding EU Migration Partnerships with Origin and Transit Countries
| Author | Dilek Kurban,Lisa Haferlach |
| Published date | 01 June 2017 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12432 |
| Date | 01 June 2017 |
Lessons Learnt from the EU-Turkey Refugee
Agreement in Guiding EU Migration
Partnerships with Origin and Transit Countries
Lisa Haferlach and Dilek Kurban
Hertie School of Governance
Abstract
Since it took effect, the EU-Turkey refugee agreement has been the subject of intense debate. While critics argue that it was
politically short-sighted, others point out that quick action was necessary to avert both a humanitarian crisis in Greece and
the collapse of the Schengen system due to the unwillingness of EU member states to share responsibility. Since the agree-
ment took effect, the most serious problems lay in the implementation process, which has revealed a troubling tendency
among EU leaders to disregard the fundamental human rights abuses in Turkey. In the southeast, for example, the Turkish
government is waging a full-blown war against its Kurdish population, while a failed coup d’
etat in July 2016 put the country
under a state of emergency that has led to even greater repression and growing reports of violations of asylum law. Ulti-
mately, this agreement may fail, but it will remain necessary for the EU to cooperate with Turkey in order to control migration
and work towards developing a comprehensive migration policy. Drawing on lessons from the agreement, this paper shall
consider ways forward for future EU migration agreements with third countries.
Policy Implications
•Short-term political goals that prioritise internal security hinder the EU from developing sustainable and effective policies
to handle migration. This tendency puts fundamental human rights and the principle of mutual solidarity on the back bur-
ner. The EU needs to align its actions with its values in order to counter the risk of losing moral credibility in its manage-
ment of migration.
•The EU’s lack of reaction to Turkey’s open disregard for its people is a failure to provide assistance to the pro-democracy
forces in the country and reveals that the EU-Turkey deal has opened the gates to extortion. Though weakened by the
concessions to Turkey, the EU should use its remaining leverage to push for positive structural reforms in Turkey.
•The cooperation between Turkey and Greece to police the sea border effectively and prevent irregular crossings can only
succeed if safe and legal routes for people in need of international protection to enter EU territory and seek asylum are
offered. Otherwise, refugees will continue to opt for the alternative, but ultimately longer and more dangerous sea routes.
Introduction
Since the spring of 2015, the European Union has experi-
enced a large influx of migrants fleeing from war and desti-
tution via the Aegean and Mediterranean Sea routes.
Framed as a one-sided security problem, this so-called refu-
gee crisis led to a deal with Turkey to allow the Union to
regain control over its external borders. Turkey promised
that it would contain refugees on a massive scale and keep
them outside of Europe, but only in exchange for visa liber-
alisation, reactivation of the EU accession process and a sub-
stantial amount of financial support. During talks in Brussels
to seal the agreement, European Council President Donald
Tusk made a victorious claim that ‘the days of irregular
migration to Europe are over’.
1
In sum the deal, which was signed on 18 March 2016, priori-
tises the protection of national interests over helping those in
need of asylum. Supporters have repeatedly emphasised that
it was brokered in response to warnings of an imminent
humanitarian crisis in Greece and in reaction to the increasing
popularity of right-wing exclusionary politics and calls to dis-
mantle the Schengen zone. However, to this day, much doubt
remains concerning the agreement’s capacity to bring refu-
gee numbers down. It also seems ill fated considering the
unprecedented political turmoil currently occurring within
Turkey’s borders, including the failed coup d’
etat on 15 July
2016, the dismantling of the state of law, multiple terrorist
attacks, and alleged war crimes against the Kurdish popula-
tion. The agreement has also effectively reduced the Union’s
leverage to push for positive structural reforms in Turkey in
the years to come. In light of these current affairs, human
rights activists and politicians in many member states have
criticised the agreement as immoral and illegal.
In this context, our paper reviews debates on normative
vs. realist power in the EU. After outlining the current situa-
tion for asylum seekers in Turkey, we discuss the difficulties
Global Policy (2017) 8:Suppl.4 doi: 10.1111/1758-5899.12432 ©2017 University of Durham and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Global Policy Volume 8 . Supplement 4 . June 2017 85
Survey Article
To continue reading
Request your trial