EU steps up effort to return irregular migrants

The European Union is stepping up efforts to ensure those who do not qualify for international protection in Europe are quickly and effectively returned to their countries of origin or transit, the European Commission said Wednesday.

The Commission confirmed 308 irregular migrants, mainly of Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian origin, would take place from Greece to Turkey on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"This sends a clear signal that those who do not qualify for international protection will be returned," the Commission said.

The return of irregular migrants who have no right to stay in the EU to their home countries or to countries they transited through, is an essential part of the EU's comprehensive efforts to address migration and in particular to reduce irregular migration, it added.

"It is for this reason that stepping up the cooperation on returns with Turkey is one of the key priorities of the European Commission," said the press release, adding that the Commission had been working with the Greek and Turkish authorities to improve the implementation of the bilateral readmission agreement between Greece and Turkey and to facilitate returns of irregular migrants.

European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos said that under the European Commission had reinforced its support for cooperation on return between EU member states and Turkey and the transfers of returnees from Greece to Turkey showed that the efforts are "starting to bear fruit."

Under the Joint EU-Turkey Action Plan, activated last November, the EU and Turkey have committed to reinforcing cooperation on migration management, including through the prevention of irregular migration flows to the EU, and to accelerate readmission procedures for irregular migrants, in line with the established readmission provisions. Enditem