The EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement, signed on 16th December 2013, came into force on the 1st October 2014. It marks an important step towards a visa liberalisation with Turkey, since the Agreement is part of the Roadmap for a visa-free regime. The provisions of the Agreement regulate the readmission of nationals of the two signatories and stateless persons or nationals of third countries with which Turkey signed bilateral treaties or arrangements on readmission. On the other hand the regulations on other third country nationals will however come into force three years later.The EU-Turkey readmission agreement basically establishes a reciprocal system that foresees the rapid readmission of persons having entered or residing in the territory of the other side irregularly.

According to the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström, the entry into force of the Agreement will therefore help to better manage the irregular migration flows arriving to the EU from the Turkish territory”. 

An effective implementation of the Readmission Agreement is an important requirement of the roadmap of the visa-free regime with Turkey which will enable Turkish citizens to travel to the Schengen-area for a short term visit.

Though the Readmission Agreement marks an “important step forward” for Commissioner Malmström, it is by far not the only part of the Roadmap. Other requirements need to be fulfilled such as the establishment of a migration and asylum system, which would be in line with international standards and the enhancement of police and judicial cooperation with the EU Member States and the international community.

The roadmap does not imply a specific timetable. Once the European Commission considers the requirements of the roadmap as fulfilled, the European Council and the European Parliament will vote on a amendment on the EC-Regulation 539/2001 - listing the nationalities that are required to possess a visa – in Turkey’s favour.