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Turkey, EU set to launch negotiations on visa exemption

22 June 2012 04:59 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Turkey and the European Union have agreed to start negotiations that Turks hope will eventually guarantee them visa-free travel to EU countries, APA reports citing Today’s Zaman.

The move follows EU members’ authorization of the European Commission to launch talks and Turkey’s acceptance of an initial readmission agreement that is considered critical for the union in combating irregular migration.

The EU’s Council for Employment, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) was expected to formally announce the authorization and Turkey’s Permanent Representative to EU Ambassador Selim Yenel was set to initial the readmission agreement later on Thursday.

Turkey will wait for an EU action plan on visa exemption, which the Commission will present in a year before penning the readmission agreement. Such an agreement would allow for the expulsion of Turkish nationals who have entered EU territory illegally without any formality. Readmission for third-country nationals will be possible following a three-year transition period that would allow for the construction of modern refugee processing centers.

The Commission is expected to present a visa exemption action plan this autumn and the implementation of the action plan is likely to be realized in a minimum of two-and-a-half years. Diplomatic sources say actual visa-free travel for Turks visiting the EU could be possible within four to six years and would require a majority of votes in the EU.

Turkey demands simultaneous implementation of visa-exemption and the readmission agreement.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄŸlu said on Thursday that the beginning of negotiations marked "a historic step." "The first synchronized move will be made and the process will start. I believe this is a very historic step," DavutoÄŸlu said in a televised interview with a private Turkish news channel.

"We will sign the readmission agreement when the EU presents the action plan. And we will ratify the readmission agreement when the EU starts implementing the action plan. We will begin implementing the readmission agreement when the action plan finally produces visa exemption," DavutoÄŸlu said.