MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Over 2.5 million Syrian refugees live temporarily in Turkey, according to the UN refugee agency.
"I welcome the agreement by the Member States on the details of the Refugee Facility for Turkey," Timmermans said, as quoted on the commission's website.
On November 29, the European Union and Turkey approved a joint plan to counter the influx of migrants into the bloc, under which EU member states will give 3 billion euros to Ankara in 2016-2017 and fast track the talks for its accession to the bloc.
"The improvement of living-conditions and the offering of a positive perspective will allow refugees to stay closer to their homes," Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiation Johannes Hahn added.
Late in January, Ankara requested an additional 2 billion euros from the European Union to tackle the refugee crisis.
