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| E.U. Proposes Visa-Free Travel for Turks | E.U. Proposes Visa-Free Travel for Turks |
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| BRUSSELS — The European Union authorities on Wednesday proposed visa-free travel in the bloc for Turkish citizens, a significant step for the group of 28 nations as it struggles to come to terms with the migrant crisis and hew to its humanitarian values. | BRUSSELS — The European Union authorities on Wednesday proposed visa-free travel in the bloc for Turkish citizens, a significant step for the group of 28 nations as it struggles to come to terms with the migrant crisis and hew to its humanitarian values. |
| Initial discussions about visa waivers preceded the influx last year of more than a million people, mostly from the Middle East and Africa, to Europe. However, the uncontrolled flow of migrants across the Aegean Sea route to Greece from Turkey compelled the European Union to accelerate the timetable as part of a wider accord with Ankara. | Initial discussions about visa waivers preceded the influx last year of more than a million people, mostly from the Middle East and Africa, to Europe. However, the uncontrolled flow of migrants across the Aegean Sea route to Greece from Turkey compelled the European Union to accelerate the timetable as part of a wider accord with Ankara. |
| That accord, reached March 18, has helped bring the bloc’s migrant crisis under greater control — but at a cost. | That accord, reached March 18, has helped bring the bloc’s migrant crisis under greater control — but at a cost. |
| Human rights groups say the deal violates international laws protecting asylum seekers. The pact has also prompted widespread criticism that it rewards President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey at a time of backsliding on political overhauls and attacks on the news media and freedom of expression. | Human rights groups say the deal violates international laws protecting asylum seekers. The pact has also prompted widespread criticism that it rewards President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey at a time of backsliding on political overhauls and attacks on the news media and freedom of expression. |
| France and other countries could still add conditions to the proposal, which needs approval from a majority of the European Union’s national governments and the European Parliament to take effect. | France and other countries could still add conditions to the proposal, which needs approval from a majority of the European Union’s national governments and the European Parliament to take effect. |
| In related steps on Wednesday, the European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, also proposed a quota system for asylum seekers, and the commission recommended allowing countries like Austria to keep in place internal European border controls for at least another six months. | In related steps on Wednesday, the European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, also proposed a quota system for asylum seekers, and the commission recommended allowing countries like Austria to keep in place internal European border controls for at least another six months. |
| Together, the three initiatives represent one of the most comprehensive efforts to manage the effects of large-scale migration from Turkey and other regions that threatened to tear apart the bloc last year. | Together, the three initiatives represent one of the most comprehensive efforts to manage the effects of large-scale migration from Turkey and other regions that threatened to tear apart the bloc last year. |
| The route across the Aegean Sea to Greece from Turkey, though not without risk, is one of the most direct ways for many migrants to reach European Union soil. Cooperation with Turkey — which shares a border with Iraq and Syria, the homeland for a significant portion of migrants fleeing war and conflict — has been the most effective way to cut off the influx from the Middle East. | The route across the Aegean Sea to Greece from Turkey, though not without risk, is one of the most direct ways for many migrants to reach European Union soil. Cooperation with Turkey — which shares a border with Iraq and Syria, the homeland for a significant portion of migrants fleeing war and conflict — has been the most effective way to cut off the influx from the Middle East. |
| The flow of migrants to Greece has slowed markedly since the accord with Turkey took effect. “The EU-Turkey Statement has clearly yielded results,” Frans Timmermans, the first vice president of the European Commission, wrote on Twitter. “Average daily arrivals in Greece now low 100s, not 1000s.” | The flow of migrants to Greece has slowed markedly since the accord with Turkey took effect. “The EU-Turkey Statement has clearly yielded results,” Frans Timmermans, the first vice president of the European Commission, wrote on Twitter. “Average daily arrivals in Greece now low 100s, not 1000s.” |
| However, there has been an increase in migrants using the more hazardous Central Mediterranean Sea route to Italy, and there have been several deadly shipwrecks off Libya’s coast in recent weeks. | However, there has been an increase in migrants using the more hazardous Central Mediterranean Sea route to Italy, and there have been several deadly shipwrecks off Libya’s coast in recent weeks. |
| But most of the migrants on the Central Mediterranean route have come from Western Africa and the Horn of Africa, rather than Syria, according to the International Organization for Migration. | But most of the migrants on the Central Mediterranean route have come from Western Africa and the Horn of Africa, rather than Syria, according to the International Organization for Migration. |
| Visa-free access to Europe is widely sought by citizens and the leadership in a country in which many aspire to European Union membership as a sign of acceptance and status. It also provides a feather in the cap of Mr. Erdogan and other Turkish leaders who extracted significant concessions from the European Union. | Visa-free access to Europe is widely sought by citizens and the leadership in a country in which many aspire to European Union membership as a sign of acceptance and status. It also provides a feather in the cap of Mr. Erdogan and other Turkish leaders who extracted significant concessions from the European Union. |
| The deal called for Turkey to receive about $6.6 billion to help organizations look after the migrants there; the eventual resumption of negotiations with Turkey on membership to the European Union; and the promise that the European Union would resettle one Syrian from a camp in Turkey for each Syrian who used an irregular route to reach Greece. | The deal called for Turkey to receive about $6.6 billion to help organizations look after the migrants there; the eventual resumption of negotiations with Turkey on membership to the European Union; and the promise that the European Union would resettle one Syrian from a camp in Turkey for each Syrian who used an irregular route to reach Greece. |
| Even if the visa-waiver proposal is ultimately approved, the chances of mass arrivals from Turkey appear slim. To qualify for entry, Turkish citizens would be required to hold passports that contain fingerprint and facial data embedded on a chip. | |
| None of the current generation of biometric passports in circulation in Turkey contain that information, according to European officials in Brussels. Turkey is expected to begin production of the new passports at quantities of up to 10,000 a day in the coming months, the officials said. | |
| The extent to which the European Union is willing to compromise its principles in pursuit of a migration deal is a source of significant unease. | The extent to which the European Union is willing to compromise its principles in pursuit of a migration deal is a source of significant unease. |
| An agreement with Turkey is a deal with Mr. Erdogan. Offering him a political prize like visa waivers strengthens his appeal and confers legitimacy even as he pursues actions that cannot be reconciled with the bloc’s views on human rights. | An agreement with Turkey is a deal with Mr. Erdogan. Offering him a political prize like visa waivers strengthens his appeal and confers legitimacy even as he pursues actions that cannot be reconciled with the bloc’s views on human rights. |
| Turkey is cracking down on freedom of expression, threatening minority groups and members of the opposition, and has even pressured Germany to prosecute a comic who ridiculed the president (while in Germany). | Turkey is cracking down on freedom of expression, threatening minority groups and members of the opposition, and has even pressured Germany to prosecute a comic who ridiculed the president (while in Germany). |
| Lawmakers like Sophie in ’t Veld, a Dutch member of the European Parliament, have warned that Europe is in danger of succumbing to a form of blackmail by Ankara and should be as strict with Turkey as it is with others before granting visa waivers. | Lawmakers like Sophie in ’t Veld, a Dutch member of the European Parliament, have warned that Europe is in danger of succumbing to a form of blackmail by Ankara and should be as strict with Turkey as it is with others before granting visa waivers. |
| In France, leaders of mainstream parties are concerned about the political consequences because the far-right National Front has played on fears that Turkey, a Muslim country, could eventually join the European Union. | In France, leaders of mainstream parties are concerned about the political consequences because the far-right National Front has played on fears that Turkey, a Muslim country, could eventually join the European Union. |
| But other senior European officials said that Turkey was on the right track, and that it should be rewarded. | But other senior European officials said that Turkey was on the right track, and that it should be rewarded. |
| “Turkey has made impressive progress, particularly in recent weeks, on meeting the benchmarks of its visa liberalization road map,” Mr. Timmermans of the European Commission said. “There is still work to be done as a matter of urgency, but if Turkey sustains the progress made, they can meet the remaining benchmarks.” | “Turkey has made impressive progress, particularly in recent weeks, on meeting the benchmarks of its visa liberalization road map,” Mr. Timmermans of the European Commission said. “There is still work to be done as a matter of urgency, but if Turkey sustains the progress made, they can meet the remaining benchmarks.” |
| The Dublin Regulation, which requires refugees to register in the European Union country in which they first arrived, effectively penalizes countries by geography: It places a significantly disproportionate burden on front-line states — namely Greece, but also Italy and Malta — to accommodate migrants. | The Dublin Regulation, which requires refugees to register in the European Union country in which they first arrived, effectively penalizes countries by geography: It places a significantly disproportionate burden on front-line states — namely Greece, but also Italy and Malta — to accommodate migrants. |
| The new rules would require other member states to accept a certain number of asylum seekers when those front-line states are overwhelmed. | The new rules would require other member states to accept a certain number of asylum seekers when those front-line states are overwhelmed. |
| Because previous attempts to enforce the relocation of migrants have largely failed, the European Commission is proposing financial sanctions that would require countries that refuse to participate to pay €250,000, or about $290,000, for each refugee they do not accept as part of the quota (or “corrective allocation”). | Because previous attempts to enforce the relocation of migrants have largely failed, the European Commission is proposing financial sanctions that would require countries that refuse to participate to pay €250,000, or about $290,000, for each refugee they do not accept as part of the quota (or “corrective allocation”). |
| Changing the Dublin rule could also ease human rights concerns, because migrants seeking to move northward across Europe to destinations like Germany have been effectively trapped. | Changing the Dublin rule could also ease human rights concerns, because migrants seeking to move northward across Europe to destinations like Germany have been effectively trapped. |
| There are nearly 58,000 stranded migrants and refugees, mostly in Greece but also in Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia, according to figures from the International Organization for Migration in late April. A vast majority are in Greece, where they have faced long waits in inhospitable conditions as their claims are processed. | There are nearly 58,000 stranded migrants and refugees, mostly in Greece but also in Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia, according to figures from the International Organization for Migration in late April. A vast majority are in Greece, where they have faced long waits in inhospitable conditions as their claims are processed. |
| European Union authorities have made saving the Schengen area, which allows passport-free travel through much of the bloc, a priority. | European Union authorities have made saving the Schengen area, which allows passport-free travel through much of the bloc, a priority. |
| Of the 28 countries in the European Union, 22 have agreed to the arrangements. Britain is a notable exception. | Of the 28 countries in the European Union, 22 have agreed to the arrangements. Britain is a notable exception. |
| Many businesses in influential countries like Germany and the Netherlands rely on free-flowing trade facilitated by open borders. The sudden reappearance of checkpoints and long lines has led to speculation about Schengen’s long-term viability. | Many businesses in influential countries like Germany and the Netherlands rely on free-flowing trade facilitated by open borders. The sudden reappearance of checkpoints and long lines has led to speculation about Schengen’s long-term viability. |
| The European Union’s strategy is to allow for temporary suspensions of the open-border policy, for six months at a time, to restore it entirely at a future date. | The European Union’s strategy is to allow for temporary suspensions of the open-border policy, for six months at a time, to restore it entirely at a future date. |
| Right now, the prospect of another migrant influx makes open borders for some countries like Austria (a crucial route on the migrants’s path last summer) untenable. So Brussels is making an effort to reassure those countries that they can put checks in place if the influx is revived. | Right now, the prospect of another migrant influx makes open borders for some countries like Austria (a crucial route on the migrants’s path last summer) untenable. So Brussels is making an effort to reassure those countries that they can put checks in place if the influx is revived. |