EU-Turkey : toward sustainable cooperation in migration management and refugee protection

Abstract

When the von der Leyen European Commission took office on December 1, 2019, it committed to delivering a “fresh start on migration” through a New Pact on Migration and Asylum. It aimed to forge a new consensus on the future of EU migration and asylum policies, after years of deadlock caused by stark divisions among states and across EU institutions. After several postponements due to the sudden priorities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Commission presented the New Pact on September 23, 2020. The 2021 MEDAM Assessment Report on Asylum and Migration Policies in Europe "The EU and Turkey: Toward sustainable cooperation in migration management and refugee protection" analyses the major changes proposed by the New Pact, as well as the progress achieved thus far in negotiations. The report also provides new data and research to inform ongoing policy debates about whether and how to reform EU-Turkey cooperation on irregular migration and refugee protection. Building on the analysis of past trends and experiences, the report discusses current challenges and opportunities for future cooperation—focusing on the EU-Turkey Statement, which was agreed between the EU and Turkey in 2016 and remains the basis for policy cooperation on migration.