Turkey is the European Union’s oldest candidate member. Since 1999, the EU and Turkey have been in talks to allow the country to join and redefine the borders of Europe. 24 years on, and it still doesn’t look like their accession is likely. Why? In this video, we cover what’s stopping Turkey from joining the EU and whether anything is likely to change soon.
Tag: Turkey – EU
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EU commissioner sees momentum in Turkey bid
By Andreas Rinke
BERLIN (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
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Irish call to Turkey
DUBLIN – The Irish Presidency of the EU has urged Turkey to comply with its obligation to fully implement the additional protocol and to make progress in normalizing its bilateral relations with the Republic of Cyprus.
Irish European Affairs Minister Lucinda Creighton speaking Wednesday before the European Parliament in Strasburg, during a discussion on Turkey’s progress report, noted that there is no progress as regards the full implementation of the additional protocol, which provides for the recognition of Cyprus.
She also stressed that it is unfortunate that Turkey chose to freeze its relations with the EU during the Cyprus Presidency last July and urged the candidate country to normalize its relations with Cyprus.
Creighton also referred to the need for constitutional changes in Turkey and progress in the human rights issue.
Accession negotiations with Turkey began in October 2005. Turkey has so far managed to open 13 of the 34 chapters.
In December 2006, due to the Turkish failure to apply the Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement, the European Council decided that eight relevant chapters will not be opened and no chapter will be provisionally closed until Turkey has fulfilled its commitment.
In addition, France has frozen other five chapters, while Cyprus froze in December 2009 other six chapters. The last time that a negotiating chapter opened was during the Spanish EU presidency in June 2010.
Turkey, whose troops have occupied Cyprus’ northern part since the 1974 invasion, does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus and refuses to normalise relations with Nicosia.
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EP: EU and Turkey must renew their mutual engagement, MEPs say
18 April 2013 | 13:58 | FOCUS News AgencyHome / Southeast Europe and BalkansStrasbourg. Renewed mutual engagement is needed to maintain constructive relations in EU-Turkey relations in the context of the negotiation process, MEPs said on Thursday, a press release of the European Parliament informs. In a resolution on the 2012 progress report on Turkey, they call for opening of negotiations on the judiciary, fundamental rights, and home affairs and praise recent talks which might help settle the Kurdish issue.
“We need commitment from both the EU and Turkey,” said Ria Oomen-Ruijten (EPP, NL), the EP rapporteur for Turkey. “Turkey needs to step up efforts to guarantee freedom of expression, media freedom and all other fundamental freedoms in line with the values of the EU. The EU must do its utmost to support Turkey in the reform process – renewed efforts for the opening of further negotiation chapters are important,” she added.
Judicial reform
Reform of Turkey’s judiciary is central to its democratic consolidation and modernisation, MEPs stress. They welcome the adoption of the third and fourth judicial reform packages but insist on fully narrowing the broad definition of criminal offences, namely of the act of terrorism, shortening excessively long pre-trial detention periods and curbing the role of special courts in practice.
To accelerate the reform process, MEPs call on the Council to open negotiations on the judiciary and fundamental rights (chapter 23) and justice, freedom and security (chapter 24).
Women’s rights
Parliament hails Turkey’s efforts to fight “honour killings”, domestic violence and phenomenon of forced marriages and child brides but is concerned that violence against women is still recurrent. MEPs also call for active promotion of women’s rights, education and participation in the labour market and in politics.
Kurdish issue
MEPs welcome direct political dialogue between the government and former PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and say this might open the perspective of a historic agreement settling the Kurdish issue peacefully and democratically.
Cyprus Presidency “missed opportunity”
MEPs regret that Turkey had “missed an important opportunity to start a process of engagement and normalisation of relations with Cyprus” during the Cypriot Presidency of the Council.
Syria and foreign affairs
MEPs praise Turkey for its humanitarian assistance to the increasing number of Syrian refugees but insist that the EU and Turkey should also develop joint strategic vision allowing ending the tragic crisis in Syria. They also say Turkey should develop its foreign policy in closer dialogue and coordination with the EU than in 2012. -
Berzins thanks Turkey for supporting Latvia’s Euro-Atlantic integration
In his address during yesterday’s official dinner in honor of visiting Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Latvian President Andris Berzins thanked Turkey for supporting Latvia’s Euro-Atlantic integration after the restoration of Latvia’s independence, the Presidential Press Service informed LETA.
“We will always remember that Turkey never recognized Latvia’s incorporation into the Soviet Union. We are also most thankful for your support for Latvia’s Euro-Atlantic integration after the restoration of our country’s independence. Today, too, we feel Turkey’s friendship as it takes part in the Air Policing Mission of the Baltic airspace,” said Berzins.
“Our country, in turn, firmly supports Turkey’s integration into the European Union. I am certain that the enlargement of the European Union offers the best response to the challenges that are created by globalization and the financial crisis,” added Berzins.
“Our excellent bilateral relations also involve intense economic partnerships. Trade turnover between our countries has quintupled over the past five years, and this shows mutual interest and profitability of our entrepreneurs and sustainable business contacts,” explained the Latvian president.
“Several major Turkish companies are already present in Latvia. “Gama Holding” is reconstructing the Riga second thermoelectric power station, while “Havas” provides land services at the Riga International Airport. I hope that other leading Turkish companies will follow their example and that small and medium entrepreneurs, too, will be increasingly interested in developing their projects in Latvia,” pointed out Berzins.
“Political dialogue and economic statistics, however, are not the only indicators of our relationship. The people of our countries are drawing closer together in a variety of areas. This is seen in an increasing number of exchange students and in intensified cooperation among our universities. Turkey’s hospitality, millennia of cultural heritage and lovely environment have attracted tourists from Latvia for many years,” emphasized the Latvian president.
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Lithuania, Turkey are strengthening political, economic relations
President Dalia Grybauskaite met with the President of Turkey, Abdullah Gul, who has arrived in Lithuania for an official visit. The Presidents discussed possibilities to strengthen political and economic cooperation between the two countries and to develop business relations. In the run-up to Lithuanian presidency of the EU Council, the heads of state also touched upon the progress in Turkey’s EU accession negotiations, the presidential press service said.
During the visit a memorandum of understanding will be signed regarding Turkey’s participation in the railway project Viking which connects the Baltic and Black Sea regions. After Turkey joining the project, Lithuania would become a bridge linking the southern and northern parts of Europe and would attract more attention and investments from Turkish entrepreneurs.
The President of Turkey in Lithuania is accompanied by almost 100 business representatives. Tomorrow the Presidents will open the Lithuania-Turkey business forum with a business contacts fair as its part.
Turkey’s trade representation for the three Baltic States was opened in Vilnius last year. A new direct Istanbul-Vilnius route will be launched by the Turkish Airlines this summer.
The Presidents also addressed the EU-Turkey relations. During its presidency of the EU Council Lithuania will seek a constructive and mutually beneficial dialogue between the EU and Turkey. Lithuania fully supports Turkey’s membership in the EU.
According to President Dalia Grybauskaite, Lithuania’s goal during its presidency of the Council of the EU will be to give a new impetus to the frozen negotiations between Turkey and the EU. The President stressed that effectiveness in the EU-Turkey negotiations depends on Turkey’s progress in implementing key reforms. Lithuania will also seek progress in negotiating visa facilitation regime between Turkey and the EU.
Among the other issues discussed at the meeting was cooperation within NATO. The President thanked the Turkish leader for the support in establishing the Lithuania-based NATO Energy Security Center of Excellence and participation in the Baltic airspace protection.