Following complaints on the issue, the European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, has asked the European Commission to carry out a more thorough assessment of the human rights impact of the EU-Turkey Agreement.

Under the Agreement, concluded in March 2016, asylum seekers and migrants crossing from Turkey to Greece whose applications are then declared inadmissible are to be returned to Turkey; and Turkey is to take measures to prevent the opening up of new sea or land migration routes.

The Ombudsman called on the Commission to include in its future progress reports on the implementation of the Agreement – agreed by the European Council - a separate section focusing on human rights risks and on measures to reduce them.

Ms O’Reilly stated: “I am conscious of the extremely difficult challenge and political realities facing both the EU Institutions and Member States in attempting to deal with the migration crisis, however the Commission continues to