Turkey is currently hosting more than two million persons displaced by the conflict in Syria. Over 750.000 asylum-seekers and economic migrants have crossed into the EU from Turkey in 2015.

In order to bring order in migratory flows to the EU and in order to establish a fair sharing of the responsibility for the protection of these persons, the Commission presents a recommendation for a voluntary humanitarian admission scheme with Turkey. The scheme will only apply to persons who have been registered by Turkish authorities before the EU-Turkey meeting on 29 November.

Member States are invited to participate and to offer temporary protection to vulnerable people fleeing violent conflict in Syria, in line with individual capacities.

Background information

On 15 October the Commission presented to the European Council a Joint Action Plan negotiated with Turkey to jointly manage the Syrian refugee crisis. The Council endorsed this action plan and convened an EU-Turkey summit on 29 November which activated the Action Plan.

On 24 November the Commission proposed a legal framework - a Refugee Facility for Turkey - to coordinate and streamline financial actions to deliver support to Syrians under temporary protection in Turkey and their host communities.

For further information, please consult the newsroom of the European Commission.