Thursday, Mar 28, 2024 | Last Update : 07:41 PM IST

  EU to grant Turkey visa-free travel

EU to grant Turkey visa-free travel

AFP
Published : May 4, 2016, 6:50 am IST
Updated : May 4, 2016, 6:50 am IST

Greek Cypriots allowed to visit Turkey without visas as part of migrant deal

Greek Cypriots allowed to visit Turkey without visas as part of migrant deal

The EU will on Wednesday grant conditional approval for Turks to gain visa-free access to the Schengen zone, sources said, meeting one of Ankara’s key demands to keep a migrant deal alive.

The European Commission, the executive arm of the 28-nation EU, will say Turkey must still implement further measures in order to access the passportless Schengen area without visas by June, the sources said on Tuesday.

Ankara has demanded visa-free travel in exchange for taking back migrants who land in Greece under a controversial deal signed in March seeking to curb the influx as Europe grapples with its biggest migrant crisis since World War II.

EU member states and the European Parliament must still approve the Turkey visa plan after it clears the Commission, which is by no means a foregone conclusion as many countries have concerns over human rights in Turkey.

“The Commission will put forward a plan to include Turkey in the list of countries exempted from visas,” a European source said, adding that “only 64 out of the 72 criteria are fulfilled” and that the offer, therefore, remains conditional.

Turkey has to meet a list of 72 criteria — ranging from biometric passports to respect for human rights — that were set when Brussels and Ankara first talked about 90-day visa-free travel to the Schengen area.

Turkey has pressed the EU to respect its promises over what Ankara regards as its big win from the deal which was signed at a summit on March 18.

Meanwhile, Greek Cypriots will no longer require visas to visit Turkey under the EU-Turkey agreement, but this does not amount to Turkish recognition of Cyprus, a Turkish official said on Tuesday.

Turkey’s Cabinet has approved waiving visas for EU citizens once Europe relaxes its own visa requirements for Turks, according to a decision published in Turkey’s Official Gazette. The move is one of the 72 criteria set by Brussels.