The Irregular Migration Crisis In The Mediterranean And Its Impact On Turkey - Eu Relations

Abstract

The refugee and asylum issue became an international issue as of 1990s with the increase of the national border crossings. Before the 1990s the immigration was seen as a component of cultural diversity and the touchstone of the economic improvement. Thus, the migration was seen a cooperation area between the countries of origin and destination. However, the more countries have security concerns, the less they welcome the people from problematic regions of the world. Especially, in the crisis periods the refugee and asylum-seekers become a topical issue in the national – agendas. More than a cooperation area, the destination countries began evaluating the origin countries as the source of instability, immigrants as the threat to national security and the neighboring countries as the storage for the undesirable foreigners. Thus, not only for the national policies but also for the cooperation between the countries, the migration and asylum have been seen as a controversial issue. For the European countries the immigration is still questionable within the framework of the EU. Fundamentally, the refugee and asylum policies should be shaped in accordance with the humanitarian concerns. However, as in the last crisis, the EU countries are not eager to admit asylum – seekers and refugees. For this reason, the EU has sought cooperation for preventing irregular immigration from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In this context, Turkey as a transit country for the irregular crossings to the EU, is seen as the main partner to prevent the crossings more than a candidate country. Moreover, the candidateship status led Turkey harmonize its policies with the EU acquis. Thus, it is expected to regulate Turkish legislation to reach to the European standards. The migration and asylum has been emerged as a cooperation area especially since 1999 when the EU concerned about the establishment of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) within the Union. At that point, both sides have common concerns on immigration. Turkey as a candidate country has a long road with the European Communities, for this reason this policy area conducts an influence field between the EU and Turkey. But the relations can be tensed because of the expectations of the EU and Turkey. While the EU requests to remove the geographical limitation, to complete the readmission process, to conduct more effective border controls to prevent the irregular crossings, Turkey’s expectations are the improvement in membership process to the EU, the transition of promised aims by the EU and the most importantly the completion of the visa liberalization for the Turkish citizens. As long as the demands are not met by the parties, the migration issue continues to be relevant in the relations between Turkey and the EU. Key Words European Union, Turkey, Irregular Migration, Refugee, Migration Policy, Asylum, Migrant