Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 12/2012

EU's Readmission Agreement and Visa Liberalization Talks with Turkey: Backing up Turkey's Protracted Way to the EU

Lenka Peťková

August 2012

Global Political Trends Center

Abstract

European Union (EU) has been reluctant to start visa liberalization talks with Turkey until mid-­‐2012 despite the fact that citizens of all other candidate countries have enjoyed visa-­‐free travel to Schengen area since 2009. The Turkish diplomats had mastered to negotiate roadmap to visa-­‐free travel in an exchange for the initial of the readmission agreement, implementation of which is considered key in securing EU’s eastern borders. The issues of migration and visa policy are covered in the negotiating chapter Justice, Freedom and Security, which has been blocked by the Republic of Cyprus. Demonstrating that the said topics represent joint interest of Turkey and the EU, the chapter was added to the positive agenda launched this May with the aim to keep Turkey’s accession process alive. Despite the fact that visa liberalization and readmission agreement will both be negotiated outside of Turkey’s accession framework, reforms adopted in these areas are likely to ease Turkey’s alignment with the provisions of the relevant chapter of the acquis communautaire. Visa liberalization and readmission agreement are thus important factors influencing Turkey’s protracted journey to the EU.