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Migrant Smuggling Data and Research

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In recent years, Turkey has also made progress towards the better<br />

management of migration <strong>and</strong> curbing irregularity of migrants. The enactment<br />

of the Law on Foreigners <strong>and</strong> International Protection in April 2013 introduced a<br />

new legal <strong>and</strong> institutional framework for a migration <strong>and</strong> asylum management<br />

system with enhanced police <strong>and</strong> judicial cooperation in line with the European<br />

Union st<strong>and</strong>ards, thus allowing non-Europeans applying for asylum to acquire<br />

temporary protection status. A series of twinning projects within the last<br />

decade were implemented on irregular migration issues, including integrated<br />

border management <strong>and</strong> combating migrant smuggling. In addition to managing<br />

irregular migration issues, Turkey is also cooperating with the International<br />

Organization for Migration (IOM) in combating human trafficking. 28 Additionally,<br />

Turkey participated in the intergovernmental dialogue initiatives to manage<br />

irregular migration <strong>and</strong> human smuggling, including the Hague Process on<br />

Refugees <strong>and</strong> Migration <strong>and</strong> the Bali Process on People <strong>Smuggling</strong> on People<br />

<strong>Smuggling</strong>, Trafficking in Persons <strong>and</strong> Related Transnational Crime.<br />

On the international <strong>and</strong> regional front, readmission agreements are<br />

effective instruments in managing irregular migration <strong>and</strong> encouraging States<br />

to take serious measures against this phenomenon. To this end, Turkey signed<br />

Readmission Agreements with some source (Syrian Arab Republic, 29 Kyrgyzstan,<br />

Ukraine, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Nigeria <strong>and</strong> Yemen) <strong>and</strong> some destination<br />

countries (Greece, Romania, Bosnia <strong>and</strong> Herzegovina, Republic of Moldova,<br />

Belarus <strong>and</strong> Montenegro) in the past to fight against irregular migration.<br />

Furthermore, Turkey <strong>and</strong> the European Union signed a readmission agreement<br />

in 2013, which necessitates the return of undocumented migrants who enter<br />

the European Union through Turkey. 30 The European Union–Turkey readmission<br />

agreement is expected to come into force as of June 2016. Obviously, the<br />

readmission agreement will bring more migrants back to Turkey. In return,<br />

Turkey dem<strong>and</strong>s visa liberalization for Turkish citizens in the Schengen zone <strong>and</strong><br />

more burden-sharing with the European Union on irregular migration as most<br />

apprehended cases in Eastern Europe transit through Turkey by using either<br />

sea or l<strong>and</strong> routes. Another significant regional initiative on migrant smuggling<br />

was the Silk Route Partnership for Migration that was adopted in 2013 with<br />

the participation of Turkey, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Islamic Republic of<br />

Iran, Iraq <strong>and</strong> Pakistan. Consequently, it was decided that these countries would<br />

cooperate closely to prevent irregular migration, as well as combat migrant<br />

smuggling <strong>and</strong> trafficking in human beings.<br />

28<br />

Turkey became a member of International Organization for Migration (IOM) on 30 November 2004.<br />

29<br />

Readmission agreement between Turkey <strong>and</strong> the Syrian Arab Republic is not active since 2011 due to<br />

humanitarian reasons.<br />

30<br />

Turkey readmits its own nationals in accordance with its constitution <strong>and</strong> passport law. It also readmits aliens<br />

with valid Turkish residence permits. If it is proven that third-country nationals have departed from Turkey<br />

through unconventional methods, they will be readmitted if returned by the same or a subsequent flight in<br />

accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization rules <strong>and</strong> practices.<br />

140<br />

6. Turkey

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