March 2022 marks six years since the EU-Turkey Statement was agreed, which stipulated that people crossing irregularly to the Greek islands from Turkey would be returned there. Six years later, this “temporary and extraordinary measure” has become a hallmark of the EU shirking its responsibility to protect refugees.

The IRC has joined seven other NGOs to create a visual briefing warning that the EU-Turkey Statement, and subsequent policies implemented in Greece, keep displaced people from accessing asylum procedures despite their clear need for protection.

Available documents & links