| İKV - İktisadi Kalkınma Vakfı

- IKV PRESS RELEASE: FIRST PROGRESS REPORT ON VISA LIBERALISATION ROADMAP FOR TURKISH CITIZENS IS PUBLISHED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

The European Commission published its first report on progress by Turkey in fulfilling the requirements of its visa liberalisation roadmap on 20 October 2014. Publication of this first report represents the first critical juncture in visa liberalisation dialogue for Turkish citizens which became official with the signing of Readmission Agreement between Turkey and EU on 16 December 2013.

The European Commission assesses technical reforms conducted by Turkey since December 2013 according to 72 different criteria as well as presenting political recommendations for enhancing the level of adaptation to the criteria.

An overall assessment of 72 criteria shows that Turkey fulfilled or almost fulfilled requirements in 22 criteria; partially fulfilled requirements in 40 criteria; and did not fulfil requirements in 10 criteria. In this regard, Turkey has recorded a certain progress in visa liberalisation roadmap through fulfilment of 62 criteria out of 72.

The most critical assessment in the first block of the Roadmap, Document Security, is the low level of compliance of Turkish passports with the EU standards. Commission recommends Turkey to introduce passports with biometric data, including photo and fingerprints especially in line with the EU standards.

“Turkey should allow non-discriminatory visa-free access to the Turkish territory for the citizens of all the EU member states”

In the second block of the Roadmap, Migration Management, Commission recommends Turkey to end discriminatory treatment to EU member states citizens in accessing to Turkish territory especially to citizens of Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus. In this sense, Commission asks Turkish authorities to change ‘Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus’ to ‘Republic of Cyprus’ in the official website of Turkish e-visa system.

Along with the visa liberalisation roadmap criteria, European Commission also presents current statistics on migration and visa in assessing the overall situation in Turkey. Turkey shows a positive trend with regard to almost every statistical indicator selected to monitor changes in Turkey’s risk profile. Yet, Commission points out an exception which shows Turkish authorities’ high rate of refusal to readmission requests made by Greek authorities regarding the irregular migrants.

One of the most significant statistics presented by the Commission shows the increase in the C-type visa requests made by Turkish citizens. According to Report, in 2013 780.846 C-type visas were requested from Turkey which represents 61% increase in visa requests when compared to applications in 2009. In addition, rate of refusal to visa requests is 4.7 compared to 6.73 in 2010.

IKV, as an institution that invests a strong effort on visa-free travel between Turkey and EU, welcomes the First Report on Visa Liberalisation Roadmap as positive, constructive, and encouraging both in terms of its content and its format. Through this Report, Commission presents Turkey an objective, precise, and full picture of the process which consists of several technical criteria. In this regard, the First Report on Visa Liberalisation Roadmap with its clear assessment will provide Turkey an opportunity for further progress in a more positive and constructive environment.

We hope that Turkey’s positive progress in the visa liberalisation dialogue will make a contribution to the acceleration of accession talks in the 10th year of Turkey-EU accession negotiations.

A Detailed Analysis of First Progress Report on Visa Liberalisation Roadmap written by IKV Deputy Secretary General and Research Director Melih Özsöz can be found here.