Multi-speed Europe

Greece is expected to record a 3.1% deficit in 2016, according to the European Commission’s summer forecasts on the Eurozone member state economies. The Commission’s figures on growth of the Greek economy are slightly better, as it projects a 0.3% negative growth rate of GDP in 2016, revised from 0.7% it perviously predicted.

EU countries refusing to accept refugees could face a penalty of €250,000, according to a Financial Times report. The punitive clause is one of the most controversial points included in the revised Dublin accord on asylum seekers, expected to be presented by the European Commission on Wednesday.

The European Commission will give Turks "conditional approval" to travel to the Schengen zone without visas, the BBC has reported, quoting "sources."

The British broadcaster said on its website that "the move is part of a deal in which Turkey is taking back migrants who have crossed over the Aegean Sea to Greece."

Even though Greece has improved its record considerably since first being criticized by Brussels, there are still "some deficiencies" in its border management, European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said on Monday.

Talks on concluding Greece's bailout review to unlock new funds and debt relief are progressing only slowly and no deal is likely at a special meeting of eurozone finance ministers on May 9, two sources close to the talks said on Monday.

European Central Bank (ECB) board member Benoit Coeure estimated Greece would remain in the Eurozone, according to Reuters news agency. The French banker added that he believed a Greece would get some kind of debt relief. He expressed his optimism on the UK voting to stay in the EU, while he dubbed his country, France, Europe’s ‘sick man’.

Germany will ask the European Commission to allow an extension of temporary border controls within the Schengen zone of passport-free travel beyond mid-May, Interior Minister Thomas De Maiziere said on Saturday.

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and Sweden have proposed to the European Commission to extend temporary controls at the internal borders of the Schengen Area to tackle migration flows more efficiently, Die Welt reported on Saturday.

A joint attempt by France and Germany to build a so-called "emergency brake" for future visa-free travel agreements with non-EU countries such as Turkey has led to debate as the attempt has been revealed only days before the EU's executive arm is to decide on May 4 whether to recommend that member states approve the visa waiver scheme by the end of June.

The distribution of new biometric passports containing chips, which are necessary to travel to Schengen countries, will start on June 1, with the government working on the necessary legal regulations. 

The new passports are among the 72 criteria required by the body for granting visa exemption to Turkish citizens in light of a Turkey-EU migrant deal signed on March 20.