Tag: Stefan Fule

  • Turkey: Statement of Commissioner Füle on recent developments in judiciary

    Turkey: Statement of Commissioner Füle on recent developments in judiciary

    image_30Brussels, (27th December) – As European Commissioner for Enlargement, whose duty it is to monitor and report on progress in candidate countries towards meeting the accession criteria, I have followed developments in Turkey since 17 December with growing concern.

    Through my spokesperson, I have already highlighted the need to guarantee the independence and impartiality of investigations by the judiciary into any allegation of wrongdoing, including corruption.  I have also stated my concern about the removal of a large number of police officers from their duties.

    In recent days, the change introduced to the judicial police regulation  has undermined the independence of the judiciary and its capacity to act. The application of this regulation has today been suspended by the Council of State. I welcome this suspension and hope the Council’s decision will be quickly finalised.

    I urge Turkey, as a candidate country committed to the political criteria of accession, including the application of the rule of law, to take all the necessary measures to ensure that allegations of wrongdoing are addressed without discrimination or preference in a transparent and impartial manner.

    via Turkey: Statement of Commissioner Füle on recent developments in judiciary.

  • EU commissioner sees momentum in Turkey bid

    EU commissioner sees momentum in Turkey bid

    By Andreas Rinke

    EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Fule speaks during a news conference in TiranaBERLIN (Reuters) – The European Union’s enlargement commissioner said he expected a breakthrough this year in Turkey’s stalled EU membership bid and welcomed Ankara’s peace talks with Kurdish rebels and reforms of its justice system.

    Turkey began talks on joining the European Union in 2005 but has only completed one of the 35 policy areas, or “chapters”, every candidate must conclude to be allowed entry due to disagreements over the divided island of Cyprus and hostility especially from France, though that is now easing somewhat.

    Commissioner Stefan Fule called on EU states to recognise Turkey’s reform efforts, to open further policy negotiations with Ankara and to show more “credibility” in the talks.

    Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has called Turkey’s wait to join the bloc “unforgivable” and has accused Brussels of not being a fair or genuine negotiation partner.

    Fule, a Czech, wants four further chapters to be opened this year, including the one entitled “fundamental rights”, noting this could help steer Ankara’s future reforms.

    “This chapter is the strongest transformational element that we have,” he told Reuters in an interview in Berlin.

    Turkey’s parliament last week approved a reform of its anti-terrorism laws, narrowing the definition of terrorist propaganda in line with EU demands that it boost freedom of expression.

    The changes coincide with progress in efforts by the government and Kurdish militants to negotiate an end to a 28-year insurgency.

    Fule expressed optimism there would be progress in talks on easing visa restrictions for Turks travelling to the EU.

    Fule urged Ankara to extend a customs agreement with the European Union by opening its ports to goods from Cyprus, one of the key issues hindering its ambitions to join the EU.

    Turkey has no diplomatic relations with the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member since 2004, instead backing a breakaway Turkish Cypriot entity in the north of the Mediterranean island.

    Cyprus is currently distracted by its financial crisis after it had to request emergency loans from the EU and the International Monetary Fund to avert bankruptcy, but Fule said he hoped President Nicos Anastasiades would bring “new energy and ideas” to the task of reviving stalled reunification talks.

    Anastasiades backed a 2004 U.N. plan to reunite the island, though a majority of his Greek Cypriot compatriots rejected the plan in a referendum shortly before they joined the EU. The Turkish Cypriots in the north backed the plan.

    (Writing by Alexandra Hudson, editing by Gareth Jones)

    Euronews

  • Turkey must adopt euro if accepted as EU member

    Turkey must adopt euro if accepted as EU member

    Turkey must accept the euro as its national currency if it joins the European Union, European Commissioner Stefan Füle says. PM Erdoğan said in October Turkey might establish a lira zone

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    A secene from European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule’s speaking during a news conference in Brussels last year. Füle says Turkey will adopt the euro as its national currency after joining the European Union. EPA photo

    A secene from European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule’s speaking during a news conference in Brussels last year. Füle says Turkey will adopt the euro as its national currency after joining the European Union. EPA photo

    Turkey will adopt the euro as its national currency if it becomes a member of the European Union after fulfilling the required conditions, European Commissioner Stefan Füle said Feb. 11.

    Füle’s comments came in the wake of a written question from EU Parliament member Mario Borgezio following Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent statement that Turkey planned to create a Turkish Lira-based monetary zone instead of accepting the euro as a national currency after joining the European Union.

    Füle, the European commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, noted in his answer Turkey’s obligation to accept the euro as part of the negotiations framework.

    “After the EU Council approves the membership of Turkey [subject to its fulfilling the required conditions], Turkey will join the economic and monetary union and adopt the euro as its national currency,” he said.

    British example

    Füle also said the EU Council had never invited Turkey to present its own position in terms of economy and monetary policy negotiations – a chapter that has not yet been opened.

    Erdoğan said some EU members had advised Turkey to stay out of the eurozone and establish a “Turkish Lira zone” instead amid the continuing accession talks.

    “Securing political stability in Europe is critically important to maintain the confidence of European societies in the union and the euro,” Erdoğan said in October in Germany.

    “I know that there are some EU member countries which say, ‘I am against the euro, I do not want to take part in the eurozone.’ For instance Britain… It is quite satisfied. They even say ‘You should stay away from the eurozone, you can establish a Turkish Lira zone.’ And I said I think the same way, too. The EU should check up on itself regarding the monetary system,” he said.

    February/13/2013

    via ECONOMICS – Turkey must adopt euro if accepted as EU member.

  • Turkey calls on EU to issue visa-free travel

    Turkey calls on EU to issue visa-free travel

    NE27 13 7

    Turkey’s European Union Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, left, and EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule | BELGA PHOTO BERNAL REVERT

    Turkey’s European Union Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis recently called on EU executives and member states to lift visa procedures for its citizens. He said that such a move should be made to implement decisions the European Court of Justice and national courts made in line with Turkish citizens, and lift visa procedures for Turkish citizens, Zaman reported. Bagis has sent letters to European commissioners and spokespeople, members of European Parliament as well as members of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and think-tank organisations and European media.

    The call was sent to EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule, Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, European Parliament President Martin Schulz and Foreign Minister Villy Sovndal of Denmark, the rotating president of the European Council. The letter reflects Turkish disappointment with the EU not paving the way for visa-free travel of Turkish citizens, despite the country meeting the required criteria. A key meeting will be held on 26 April where Turkish and European officials will again discuss the matter.

    “The current Schengen visa regime against Turkish citizens constitutes an obstacle to the strengthening of relations between Turkish people and the peoples of the EU, as it prevents people-to-people contact, which is indispensable for the EU accession process,” Bagis’ statement read. Suggesting that Turkey’s economic achievement in the last decade made the current visa regime redundant, Bagis said that EU countries, which are witnessing an economic crisis would benefit from the commercial, cultural, educational and touristic visits of Turkish citizens, which would be further enabled by the lifting of the visa requirement. Bagis said visa obligation also prevented Turkish NGOs and universities as well as young people from making use of EU funds and projects. Long visa procedures harmed Turkish businessmen from enjoying a fair competitive atmosphere in the Customs Union, Bagis said. Bagis said courts of many EU member states, including Germany and the Netherlands, had been making decisions that recognised visa liberation for Turkish citizens, and Turkish citizens could travel to Germany on a touristic visit without any visa under those court decisions.

    via Turkey calls on EU to issue visa-free travel | New Europe.

  • Threat to media freedom in Turkey worrying

    Threat to media freedom in Turkey worrying

    Threat to media freedom in Turkey worrying: report

    ISTANBUL: EU candidate Turkey needs to take urgent measures to uphold freedom of expression and the media to address a “particularly worrying” situation, the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights said on Tuesday.

    Thomas Hammarberg welcomed recent changes to Turkey’s constitution seen has having a positive effect on freedom of expression, but said the letter and spirit of the constitution still hindered the full respect of pluralism.

    “The situation of freedom of expression and media freedom remains particularly worrying. Urgent measures are needed to uphold these rights and foster a more tolerant atmosphere towards criticism and dissent,” he said in a report on Turkey.

    The report was released as European Union Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele arrived in Turkey for talks with the business sector and government officials.

    Ankara’s bid to join the bloc has ground to a virtual stop in the face of opposition from EU heavyweights France and Germany and obstacles generated by the ongoing division of Cyprus between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. reuters

    via Daily Times – Leading News Resource of Pakistan – Threat to media freedom in Turkey worrying: report.

  • European commissioner for enlargement to pay formal visit to Turkey

    European commissioner for enlargement to pay formal visit to Turkey

     Picture: AFP
    Picture: AFP

    Ankara. The European commissioner for enlargement will pay a formal visit to Turkey, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday, Xinhua informed.

    The statement said that Stefan Fule would arrive in Turkey on Monday, and hold talks in the Turkish capital of Ankara and the largest city of Istanbul till July 13.

    The commissioner is expected to discuss ways to speed up Turkey- European Union (EU) relations after the June 12 general elections in Turkey and steps to further improve negotiation process, said the statement.

    Moreover, Turkey will once more express its expectations about visa exemption to Fule.

    This will be Fule’s first formal visit to Turkey after a new Turkish government is formed.

    Fule’s visit would be an opportunity to boost relations between the EU and Turkey, according the statement.

    Turkey became an EU candidate country in December 1999. The EU launched accession talks with Turkey in October 2005 but has only opened 13 chapters, or negotiating areas, out of 35 that are required so far.

    via European commissioner for enlargement to pay formal visit to Turkey – FOCUS Information Agency.