Category: EU Members

European Council decided to open accession negotiations with Turkey on 17 Dec. 2004

EU: Numbers of illegal migrants crossing into Greece from Turkey falls sharply

By Associated Press, Published: March 8

BRUSSELS — The number of illegal migrants crossing into Greece from Turkey has fallen sharply since September, authorities said Thursday, a dip that coincides with improved border controls.

European Union officials said the Frontex agency reported that the number of migrants crossing the EU’s most porous land border had decreased from 2,000 to just 500 a week. The report was delivered at a meeting of the bloc’s 27 Home Affairs ministers in Brussels.

“The report shows that the overall situation remains worrying,” EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom told reporters after the meeting. “There is progress, but there remains a lot of work to be done.”

Frontex helps coordinate the work of national border authorities and provides expert assistance. It was deployed to the Greek-Turkish border in the second half of last year. Greece also has established an asylum authority which will operate a number of camps in order to better manage the flows.

On Wednesday, ministers from seven northern EU nations — Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and Britain — called for an action plan to stem the tide of illegal migration into the union. They also urged better cooperation with non-member Turkey on security and migration issues and better management by Turkey of its own borders.

Passport-free travel in the so-called “Schengen zone” is considered one of the European Union’s signal achievements, easing the lives of ordinary citizens. But what applies to EU citizens also applies to illegal migrants — once they enter the Schengen zone, they can travel to any of its countries without showing passports or any other documents.

“Europe’s external borders must be effectively and consistently managed, on the basis of the principle of solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility, mutual trust and increased practical cooperation,” said the conclusions adopted after Thursday’s ministerial meeting.

The European Union’s executive commission is due to submit in May a report on the functioning of the Schengen system, which covers all EU states except Britain and Ireland.

Last month, Greece announced that it will build a 6-mile- (10-kilometer) long, 13-foot- (4-meter) tall fence topped with razor wire on its border with Turkey to deter illegal immigrants.

Most of Greece’s 125-mile (200 kilometer) border with Turkey runs along a river known as Evros in Greece and Meric in Turkey. The new fence, which Turkey’s government has not opposed, will block a short stretch of dry land between the two countries.

The border is the main venue for illegal crossings into the European Union. Thousands of illegal immigrants cross from Turkey into Greece at this point each year, often traveling from there to other parts of Europe.

Since Greece is on the southeastern edge of the Schengen area, and Turkey has not signed the Schengen Agreement, Greece is required to maintain control of the border with the assistance of Frontex.

via EU: Numbers of illegal migrants crossing into Greece from Turkey falls sharply – The Washington Post.

March 10, 2012
Cyprus denies reports on Turkey’s negotiating chapters

Nicosia denied Turkish press reports that Cyprus has agreed to the opening of two chapters of Turkey’s EU accession talks.

A report by Turkish daily ”Hurriet” invoking European Commission notes that Cyprus Minister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou Marcoullis said Nicosia would not oppose to the opening of the chapters 23 and 24 namely on Judiciary and fundamental rights and Justice, Freedom and security.

Describing these reports as unfounded, Marcoullis recalled that these chapters are included in the chapters that have been frozen following a unilateral decision by the Republic of Cyprus in December 2009.

She also said that this report follows information and interpretations published in the Greek Cypriot press of the European Commission’s decision to proceed with the so-called positive agenda,” which aims to keep reforms going in Turkey.

Noting that the process on how to proceed with the positive agenda has not been completed yet, Marcoullis said that we have secured in the EU General Affairs Council conclusions that the positive agenda can be pursued only if the negotiating framework is being followed.

She also said that the Commission is at the process of informing the Turkish authorities regarding the six chapters and the acquis communautaire, clarifying that these two chapters are not included in this process as no agreement has been reached by the member-states concerning the opening benchmarks.

(KYPE)

via Cyprus denies reports on Turkey’s negotiating chapters.

March 8, 2012
Hidden treasures of Europe

Under the slogan ‘So similar, so different, so European’ this clip shows just how gorgeous and surprising Southeast Europe can be. Yes, the region is different and this is what makes it so vibrant, exciting and fascinating. But is it actually that different?

One thing is certain; Southeast Europe has undergone tremendous changes in the last 20 years, let alone the last decade. On its path towards the European Union, the countries of the region have transformed their societies, implementing a series of thorough reforms. And anybody who is not familiar with Southeast Europe would probably be surprised to find out how many treasures it has been hiding; how much potential it heralds, and how much beauty there is to discover.

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey have all set course towards the European Union. Croatia has gone the furthest on the path towards the European Union; it is set to become the 28th Member State on 1 July 2013.

March 4, 2012
Turkey will ignore Cyprus as EU president

Mr. Bagis made the remarks during a speech at the London School of Economics on Wednesday

TURKEY’S EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis has again said that Turkey would ignore the Republic of Cyprus, as EU president, adding “We will not take it as interlocutor as the rotating president of the EU this year.”

Mr. Bagis made the remarks during a speech at the London School of Economics on Wednesday.

When asked about Turkey’s stance towards the Republic of Cyprus which will undertake the rotating presidency of the EU in July, Bagis said that “Turkey would ignore the Greek Cypriot administration”.

Bagis said: “We hope there will be a united Cyprus till July”, adding that “if there was not a united Cyprus till that date, Turkey would pursue its relations with European Commission, European Parliament and EU member states, but ignore the rotating president.”

“EU candidate countries contact with EU president only if a chapter is opened to negotiations or during council partnership meetings”, said Bagis.

He also said: “Turkey has 52 years of relationship with the EU, thus, six months is not a long time for Turkey.”

Famagusta Gazette

March 2, 2012
BAGIS SAYS IN LONDON: “EUROPE MUST BE A COSMOPOLITAN, MULTICULTURAL, MULTILINGUAL AND MULTI-FAITH UNION.”

As a part of his visits in London, the capital city of England, the Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis made a speech titled “Creating a Common Future Together: Towards a Visionary Europe” in London School of Economics (LSE), one of the leading universities of the United Kingdom.

Bagis said: “Today, we must discuss the future of Europe. Europe must be a cosmopolitan, multicultural, multilingual and multi-faith union. Although it has been going through hard times both economically and politically, the EU is the biggest peace project in the history of humanity and that’s why, Turkey intends to be a member of this Union”.

In his speech, stressing that the EU had to keep up with the developments in the changing world, Bagis also mentioned Turkey’s economic growth. Stating that a great number of Muslims lived in Europe and the perception as “Europe is a club of Christians” was not valid anymore, he said: “The fact that Turkey is a Muslim country is an advantage for Europe”.

Pointing out that Turkey would play a key role for Europe to become a global actor, Bagis said: “Many countries consider Turkey as a source of inspiration”. Stating that the new motto of Turkey throughout its accession process is “Hold tight Europe, Turkey is coming to save you”, he added: “The membership of Turkey will not make the EU pie smaller, but bigger”. Mentioning that Europe needed new markets and Turkey would be a solution within this respect, Bagis said: “The cosmopolitan approach of Turkey towards the global problems will help to make Europe a cosmopolitan union and Europe will turn into a better place with the accession of Turkey”.

AA

March 2, 2012
Turkey: the key to Europe’s future :

The EU is Turkey’s number one trade partner, with Turkish exports and imports between 46 to 39 percent. Foreign direct investment inflows to Turkey amounted to €10 Billion in 2008, while Turkish direct investments in more than 50 countries amounted to €1.7 billion, said Turkish Chief Negotiator and Minister for European Union Affairs, Egeman Bagis, in Munich last month.

Turkey is the key to Europe’s future. Turkey has a unique strategic position in its region for geographical, cultural, and historical reasons. It is the most Eastern part of the West and the most Western part of the East.

Minister Bagis also sees Turkey as an active player and mediator in critical areas such as the Middle East, South Caucasus, Central Asia, the Black Sea basin, the Mediteranean, and the Balkans. When asked by Alison Smale, Executive Editor of the International Herald Tribune, he said, “Turkey is the only country to apply for a Schengen visa. That Turkey will join the EU is a 60 percent issue.”

With Europe on one side and Asia on the other side, Turkish investors are looking more into the Central Asia region and its 1.4 billion consumers, than to Europe.

Established and very well connected, Turkish hotel investors, construction companies, and developers have been heading to Central Asia for years, building partnerships with neighbor countries in the south – Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Syria, Iraq, and Iran – at the bottom line.

The country – straddling the continents of Europe and Asia – is a promising market, with Istanbul as one of the world’s hottest destinations and one the hippest cities. Istanbul’s sights and sounds are beyond compare, believes Romain Avril, Vice President of Business Development for Rezidor. He sees a big potential in mid-market hotels. Why is that? Lack of competition, low cost of operation, quick turnaround, and simpler development and construction procedures makes Istanbul, Turkey very attractive segments to move business to.

Until now, Radisson Blue has four properties in operation (Istanbul Bospherus, Istanbul Airport, Ankara, and Cesme), and four new hotels are under development in Istanbul Asia, Istanbul Sisli, and Istanbul Golden Horn, with more to come. Envisioning 5-6 Park Inns by Radisson hotels (maybe as part of a joint venture) in Istanbul city, with another 10-20 hotels in the pipeline in other cities, such as Izmir, Mersin, Bursa, etc., makes Radisson more or less a local player with strong Turkish partners.

“The outlook of the Turkish tourism industry is more buoyant than ever, with an increasing number of international and local hotel companies investing in the sector,” said Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of Bench Events, co-organizer of the Central Asia and Turkey Hotel Investment Conference (CATHIC), to be held in Istanbul from February 6-8, 2012.

It is the ideal time to invest in Turkey’s hospitality sector with international tourist arrivals expected to reach 33 million by 2012. Indeed, more than 1.4 million Arab visitors are recorded so far this year.

The conference program includes speakers with knowledge and expertise in regional and international hotel development, finance, hotel branding and operations, plus sessions giving perspectives from industry analysts.

Among key speakers of CATHIC 2012 is Cevdet Akcay, Chief Economist;Yapi Kredi Bank; Denis Hennequin, President & CEO, ACCOR SA; Eric Danziger, President & Chief Executive Officer, Wyndham Hotel Group; Kurt Ritter, President & CEO, The Rezidor Hotel Group; Atilla Ozturk, CEO & Board Member, ASTAY; Serdar Bilgili, Chairman, Bilgili Holding; and Roland Vos, President, EAME, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, just to name a few.

Meanwhile, Mehmet Önkal, Managing Partner, BDO Hospitality Consulting in Turkey, warned that investment in the sector is crucial. “One of the key drivers of sustainable development is the consistent flow of investment, and Turkey is lucky, as it does not face the same challenges with financing as other markets.” he said.

And last but not least, Turkey’s tourism industry has also benefitted from ongoing unrest in Egypt and the North Africa region. Among Turkey’s visitors were a number of newcomers – Arab tourists, for instance, who used to travel to Syria and nearby, are discovering Istanbul – strongly attracted by the wide array of mosques and similar hospitality.

With more and more arrivals coming from the UK, the ABTA Travel Convention is returning to Turkey this year in October. The last time Turkey hosted the ABTA Travel Convention was in 1996 in Istanbul. At that time, the country had just over 750,000 arrivals from the UK, which today is closer to 3million.

Turkey has also launched Istanbul’s bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games. In support of that, Istanbul is hoping to strengthen the bid as the 2012 European Capital of Sports. Events highlighted will include the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics (March 9-12, 2012), which is likely to be the final opportunity to see athletes competing on an international level prior to the London Summer Olympics 2012.

Sources: ETurboNews

Researcher: Ingrid Lo

via Turkey: the key to Europe’s future :.

March 1, 2012