An agreement allowing EU countries to send illegal migrants who enter Europe via Turkey back to Turkey, when it comes into force in three years time, has been approved by the the European Parliament's civil liberties committee.
The repatriation of illegal migrants is what Turkey has agreed to as part of a larger agreement which will also allow Turkish citizens to travel visa-free to EU countries. The agreement stipulates that Turkey will get financial and technical help from the EU to build up its border police and install border surveillance equipment.
"The readmission agreement will benefit Turkey as well as the European Union," said rapporteur Renate Sommer. "Now it is up to Turkey to fulfil its obligations to implement the agreement in full."
Sommer added that the agreement would make a significant contribution to curbing irregular immigration into the EU via Turkey and help combat cross-border crime.
To come into force, the agreement still has to be approved by the European Parliament and then formally ratified by the EU and by Turkey.
The committee endorsed the agreement by 34 votes to 7 with one abstention.
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