Turkish citizens may travel visa-free to Europe by 2016

Draft conclusions of an EU-Turkey summit stated that the European Union aims to seal a visa liberalization agreement with Turkey in October 2016 instead of the originally planned 2018 if Ankara meets the certain criteria specified in an agreed road map.

In exchange, Turkey will help the EU to reduce the influx of refugees reaching Europe. The draft stated that 3 billion euros will be given to Turkey to stem the flow of refugees from Turkey to Europe. It is also said that the amount might be adjusted later depending on developments.

"Both sides will, as agreed and with immediate effect, step up their active cooperation on migrants who are not in need of international protection, preventing travel to Turkey and the EU, ensuring the application of the established bilateral readmission provisions and swiftly returning migrants who are not in need of international protection to their countries of origin, " the draft reportedly said.

According to the draft, the EU would also open the next chapter of negotiations with Turkey in its accession talks to the EU in December.

In December 2013, Turkey and the EU reached an agreement on the “visa liberalization dialogue” in parallel with a “readmission agreement,” that repatriates third-country nationals who are illegally migrating to Europe via Turkey.

Then, European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had agreed to speed up the implementation of the visa-free system for Turkish citizens to the Schengen zone on Nov. 17.

However the head of the European Union Delegation to Turkey, Hansjörg Haber, said on Nov. 20, a system for visa-free travel between the EU and Turkey is planned to start in 2018, and maybe in 2017, if all goes well.