As a part of the Refugee Pact European Union has already transferred three billion euros to Turkey. Another three billion will be made available for Turkey soon.

According to German Der Spiegel magazine the implementation of the agreement between Turkey and EU is by no means running as smoothly as presented by the officials in Brussels: a number of projects on which both sides have agreed are still in existence today broke. And EU partner organizations are being harassed by Turkey.

About half of the first instalment went to "humanitarian" aid, notably the United Nations World Food Program. The remaining € 1.6 billion was earmarked for 26 medium and long-term "non-humanitarian" projects. However, according to EIC research, less than half of the projects have so far been implemented, and some have not even been really pushed, some are scheduled for the year 2021.

Spiegel reported that the EU made 90 million euros available for the completion of two hospitals in the Turkish border towns of Kilis and Antakya. In both cases, the construction has apparently not even begun. Even the planned construction of schools is questionable: The Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) has only laid the foundation for eight out of 39 schools.

The EU emphasizes that the money from the deal does not go to Erdogan but to the refugee aid. 660 million euros has been paid to the Turkish Government, 300 million euros to the Ministry of Education and Health, 60 million euros to the Turkish Migration Service (DGMM).

The work of the EU in Turkey is complicated by the fact that the government of President Erdogan is negotiating non-governmental organizations, including some that cooperate with the EU. The employees do not receive a work permit or are subject to conditions. Mercy Corp, an EU partner in the implementation of the Refugee Pact, was even expelled from the country.