Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 July 2016
270. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the proposal from the European Commission to replicate the European Union-Turkey deal across more than 16 countries in Africa and the Middle East; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23180/16]
View answerLast month, the European Commission set out a new concept of cooperation with third countries, the Migration Partnership Framework, which brings together the EU and its Member States, and focuses on ensuring the necessary coherence between the Union's migration policy and its other policies.
The June European Council gave a general welcome to the proposal and asked that work to implement it proceed. The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini was asked to lead this process, with a view to concluding compacts between the EU and selected priority countries (Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Ethiopia and Senegal) by the end of 2016. It is anticipated that the process could be extended beyond the five priority countries if necessary.
The European Commission has not made proposals to replicate the March EU-Turkey deal. That agreement - between EU Heads of State and Government and Turkey - is sui generis in nature.
Ireland views the Migration Partnership Framework positively. The detail of what is being proposed will of course need careful consideration.
