The European Commission, the executive arm of the 28-nation EU, on Wednesday gave conditional backing for Turks to get visa free travel as part of a deal to solve the migrant crisis, a commissioner said.

"The European Commission is today proposing... to lift the visa requirements for the citizens of Turkey" on condition that Ankara fulfils "as a matter of urgency" criteria set by the EU, according to a document tweeted by Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager.