Migration flows on the Eastern Mediterranean route

EU action to tackle the migration situation in Türkiye

The Eastern Mediterranean route refers to irregular arrivals in Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria. Large numbers of refugees seeking shelter from the Syrian civil war arrived in the EU via this route in 2015.

Since then the number of irregular arrivals using this route has fallen considerably thanks to cooperation between the EU and Türkiye. The implementation of the EU-Türkiye statement of March 2016 has played a key role in reducing irregular arrivals through Türkiye.

EU-Türkiye statement

In March 2016, EU and Turkish leaders agreed to tackle irregular migration in light of the massive number of migrants travelling through Türkiye. The statement set out a number of principles. The EU remains committed to the implementation of the statement and continues to support Syrian refugees through the facility for refugees in Türkiye.

After the implementation of the statement, arrivals via the Eastern Mediterranean route decreased significantly. The agreement with Türkiye helped to reduce the number of lives lost at sea and tackle migrant smugglers.

• EU-Turkey statement (18 March 2016)
• European Council (17-18 March 2016)

Measures to improve refugees' conditions in Türkiye

Refugees in Türkiye receive aid from the EU to improve their living conditions. The EU facility for refugees in Türkiye, which manages a total of €6 billion in funding, provides a joint coordination mechanism that aims to ensure that the needs of refugees and host communities in Türkiye are addressed in a comprehensive manner.

The European Commission created the facility on 24 November 2015 following member states’ call for more funding to support refugees in Türkiye.

On 29 November 2015, the European Council committed a first tranche of €3 billion to the facility. In March 2018, the Commission proposed that the facility’s funding be extended by an additional €3 billion given that the initial budget had been used in its entirety. In June 2018, EU member states agreed to finance an additional €3 billion to support Syrian refugees in Türkiye.

• Facility for refugees in Turkey: member states agree details of additional funding (press release, 29 June 2018)
• The EU facility for refugees in Turkey (factsheet, European Commission)

The first tranche funded projects that ran until mid-2021. The second tranche is funding projects that will run until mid-2025. The main focus is on humanitarian assistance, education, health, socio-economic development, municipal infrastructure, socio-economic support and migration management.

Refugees in Türkiye have seen their living conditions improve thanks to projects funded by the facility:

• 65 projects have been implemented to cover the response to basic needs, protection, education and health for the most vulnerable refugees in Türkiye
• 701 000 refugee children supported to attend school
• free and equitable access to healthcare for 4 million refugees
• more than 2.6 million refugees have received support for their basic daily needs

Further to the European Council conclusions of June 2021 and outside the framework of the Facility, the Commission has mobilised €3 billion for refugees and host communities in Türkiye for the period 2021-2023. This funding aims to continue support in the priority areas of basic needs and education, migration management and border control and also in humanitarian support.