Tag: Turkey – EU

Turkey do not need EU, it is the other way round!

Jan: “Turkey do not need EU, it is the other way round!”
Posted by Cem on 06/12/11

I wish I suggested this great exchange that I had with Jan which dates back to last September (I should have done that with several former comments):

“jan

Comment by jan | 2011/09/25 at 02:01:27

Turkey should not join the EU at all because there is no benefit whatsoever towards Turkey other than lifting visa requirements to visit Europe. As for economy gain, there’s no such gain because once Turkey joined, it will be used to the ground because it looks as if Turkey is so desperate to do and give anything which the EU demand like being held on a rope. They will never see Turkey as one of them or equal because regardless to them it will always be a Muslim country or exucse wise huge population compared to others which threaten them. Turkey should just maintain business relations rather than being one of them. For economy gain, there are many ways for Turkey to have a stronger economy or bring more businesses into its country. Turkey does not have weak currency, or going into crisis like Greece or any of the European countries.
If Turkey is able to change, why it NEEDS to join EU in order to change? Why have your country to be run by someone else or constantly having people to tell you what to do in order to be one of them. Turkey do not need EU, it is the other way round! Why sell yourself short? In the process of joining EU, Turkey has prove itself to the WORLD not just EU that it is not like any of the Muslim country. It is a democratic country and everyone has the right to vote including women. Being able to NOT run it’s country using religion, unlike some countries, I think that says alot about Turkey. It has full credit of being a country that sets full example to the rest of the world. I hope Turkey government is able to re-consider their decision.”

“Cem

Comment by Cem | 2011/09/25 at 12:40:43

Hello jan,

I quote you:

Turkey should not join the EU at all because there is no benefit whatsoever towards Turkey other than lifting visa requirements to visit Europe.

Very well said. Very well said!

Many say that Turkey’s first trading partner is the EU hence it has to be an EU member.

Well Turkey is not currently an EU member but that doesn’t prevent it from trading with the EU. Anyway, in the first instance the world economy is shifting to Asia. In the second instance, the EU population is ageing.

As for economy gain, there’s no such gain because once Turkey joined, it will be used to the ground because it looks as if Turkey is so desperate to do and give anything which the EU demand like being held on a rope.

The EU is exactly doing that regarding the chapter on competition of the EU-Turkey negotiations. Zafer Çağlayan denounced that a few months ago http://turkey.blogactiv.eu/2011/05/16/za… (Article in Turkish, but it’s worth seeing the caricature of the current EU!)) and said that the EU is hypocritical and that Turkey will not obey the EU blindly. In fact, he stated that the EU blocks almost all the chapters but absolutely wants to open the chapter on competition. The EU is behaving like a carpet dealer.

They will never see Turkey as one of them or equal because regardless to them it will always be a Muslim country or exucse wise huge population compared to others which threaten them.

I think that once (Turkey) an EU member the situation will dramatically change. Turkey will improve the EU parliament.

Turkey should just maintain business relations rather than being one of them.

I believe that thanks to Turkey’s EU membership the EU will at last become the blacksmith of the peace in the globe. That is the only reason for which I do support Turkey’s EU memberhsip. Really. Turkey’s EU membership will be a strong political and cultural tool that will help humanity.

Turkey will take advantage of the EU funds but it will also be a huge contributor to the EU budget. Turkey will become a very rich country. And according to the excellent Kemal Derviş, Turkey will be rich earlier than expected.

I support Turkey’s EU membership, but owing to the disgusting racism, double standards and blatant treacherousness of the EU, I want Turkey not to receive the EU funds but at the same time not to contribute to the EU budget. That is my wish as a Turkish citizen whose heart is broken.

For economy gain, there are many ways for Turkey to have a stronger economy or bring more businesses into its country. Turkey does not have weak currency, or going into crisis like Greece or any of the European countries.

A British insitution said a few months ago (I don’t remember which one, I should have kept the link) that the EU is jealous of the economic performance of Turkey.

If Turkey is able to change, why it NEEDS to join EU in order to change?

You’re right, nowadays Turkey doesn’t need to join the EU to change. Notwithstanding, with regard to several chapters such as environment or food saftey, the negotiations process (not the EU membership) is vital.

Why have your country to be run by someone else or constantly having people to tell you what to do in order to be one of them. Turkey do not need EU, it is the other way round!

In fact, the politicians Olli Rehn, Günter Verheugen and Jack Straw underlined that too. The English economist Roger Bootle also stated that. Lastly, Uli Dönch, a German journalist, wrote that too on September 22nd 2011: I quote Turkish newspaper Dünya English that refered to the article published by Focus magazine:

Stating that Europe, consisting of an old population, needs Turkey more than Turkey needs Europe, Dönch indicated that Turkey enjoys great economic data, educated and hard-working young population. He added that the rapidly growing and improving Turkey wouldn’t wait in front of Europe’s door for a long time and suggested that Europe becomes Turkey’s partner, instead of being a slave to Greece.

I quote you dear jan:

Why sell yourself short? In the process of joining EU, Turkey has prove itself to the WORLD not just EU that it is not like any of the Muslim country. It is a democratic country and everyone has the right to vote including women. Being able to NOT run it’s country using religion, unlike some countries, I think that says alot about Turkey.

Thank you very much.

The Turkish women had the right to vote well before the French and Suiss women.

There are only 3 secular countries in Europe: France, Portugal and Turkey. Surprising but true!

It has full credit of being a country that sets full example to the rest of the world. I hope Turkey government is able to re-consider their decision.

Dear jan, a referendum will be held in Turkey at the end of the EU-Turkey negotiations. Turkey’s EU membership is strategic for the Turkish leaders. But the Turkish citizens may vote “No” through the referendum. And you introduced the reasons of that “No” through your comment my friend.

Yours sincerely,

Cem”

I also like Civitas’ comment that brightened the horizon.

Yours faithfully,

Cem

From the blog archive at turkey.blogactiv.eu

December 7, 2011
Turkey: EU, one step forward, one step back

(ANSAmed) – ANKARA – Turkey and the EU, one step forward and one step back in a single day, confirming that Turkey’s accession has reached a deadlock but that there are forces that drive the process forward: today’s newspapers in Turkey report the veto issued by Cyprus against the participation of Turkey in a EU meeting of Ministers on Syria, but also write about a support demonstration organised in 11 countries (including Germany). But these events take place in the context of a European financial and political crisis that have made Europe the ‘sick man’, a century after that role was reserved for Turkey. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, newspaper Hurriyet underlines, has criticised the fact that Cyprus has blocked his participation in yesterday’s meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on the crisis in Syria. Davutoglu has pointed out that Germany, the UK and France wanted Turkey to join the meeting, but ”they have given in to the whims of a small country,” ”the Greek part of Cyprus.” The veto of the southern and European part of the island, which is divided in two due to the Turkish invasion against the Greek regime of colonels in 1974, is one of the main obstacles to Turkey’s EU candidacy. Turkey’s accession has been in a stalemate since the start of negotiations in 2005, also due to opposition by the French and hesitation by the Germans. Italy, together with at least eight other countries, supports the accession of Turkey to the EU, also to be able to make better use of the country’s role as mediator in the Middle East as Muslim country and NATO member.

Despite Germany’s caution, Guido Westerwelle is one of the 11 EU Foreign Ministers who have signed an article published by the portal EUobserver and mentioned today by the Turkish newspaper Milliyet. The text that was released on the eve of the European summit is summarised by the newspaper as strong support to Turkey’s accession, whose ”influence” could strengthen ”the EU’s global scope” at a time of ”global uncertainty”, the Ministers wrote. Unexpectedly, the FMs of Hungary, Slovenia and Latvia have also signed the article, while these countries are not among the nine strongest supporters of Turkey (a ‘club’ that also includes Poland and Spain). ”The sick continent’s love for Turkey” is the headline of Milliyet based on a historic reference: the Ottoman empire was known in its final stage as ”the sick man of Europe”, and the expression is now also useful to describe the current economic problems (recession in east, low GDP per capita) and other issues (lack of democracy) that make it difficult for Turkey to join the EU. At least now the ”sick man” is the EU: Turkish European Affairs Minister and chief negotiator for EU accession Egemen Bagis said yesterday in Prague that Turkey can resolve Europe’s problems. And today, in an article published by Europolitics and quoted by Turkish news agency Anadolu, he underlined the concept that the ”technocrat governments” in Greece and Italy show that ”the financial crisis in Europe is becoming ”political” through these ”economic coups” that create a ”democratic deficit”. (ANSAmed).

via Turkey: EU, one step forward, one step back – Analysis – ANSAMed.it.

December 7, 2011
Will The New Turkey Become The Model For A New Europe?

Abigail R. Esman, Contributor
I write on art, politics, freedom, and things that strike my fancy

What a difference an economy makes.

Visiting Istanbul last week, I could feel the toss of a new wind approaching. Suddenly, it seems, many Turkish politicians – and much of the Turkish public – are starting to look away from the long-cultivated association with the EU and hopes to join the community of European states.

With Europe’s continuing financial woes, along with the increasing conservatism of Turkish culture, the EU no longer holds the allure it once did, particularly in view of Turkey’s own vibrant economy. Rather, in fact, some wonder whether they shouldn’t turn away from Europe entirely – or do what they can to make Europe come, instead, to Turkey.

This, indeed, seems to be the (silent) perspective of the country’s ruling AKP party, which many credit with building Turkey’s newly stable economy. It is that same party, too, however, which has, in the process, turned the country away from Ataturk’s democratic ideals through (among other things) media censorship, the imprisonment of journalists, reported torture of prisoners, growing tensions between Turks and Turkish Kurds, and other autocratic measures that recently resulted in the mass resignation of the country’s military leaders. Earlier this year, Rosemary Righter described the situation in the Daily Beast,

Not only the military but journalists, academics, businessmen, and even jurists are vulnerable: anyone who criticizes the AKP; champions equal rights for Turkey’s large Kurdish minority; or, still more perilous, probes the penetration of Turkish schools, universities, media, and bureaucracy by the AKP’s own “deep state” ally, a wealthy and powerful Islamist movement directed from luxurious self-exile in the U.S. by Imam Fethullah Gülen, [Prime Minister Recep Tayyip] Erdogan’s friend and mentor.

And as the New York Times noted , the June, 2011 military resignations

raised fears that what many critics call a creeping authoritarian streak under Mr. Erdogan could accelerate. Mr. Erdogan is not only free to reshape the military, but has a much better chance of winning constitutional changes that could alter politics here for decades.

Even before the resignations, Mr. Erdogan had carved out a newly muscular role for Turkey in foreign policy, openly challenging the way the United States manages its two most pressing issues in the region, Iran’s nuclear program and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The shift has made him a hero to the Arab world, but raised questions about whether Turkey would abandon its lengthy effort to join the European Union.”

That time may soon be upon us. While Istanbul’s intellectual elite (who spent the week visiting the 6th edition of the Istanbul Contemporary Art Fair, about which, more soon) hope still for a Turkey-EU partnership, most recognize that it is increasingly unlikely. The alternative — a “preferred partnership” – remains a possibility, but even this, as the Turkish government continues its overtures towards Iran and the rest of the Middle East, may soon fade.

via Will The New Turkey Become The Model For A New Europe? – Forbes.

more : https://www.forbes.com/sites/abigailesman/2011/12/02/will-the-new-turkey-become-the-model-for-a-new-europe/

December 6, 2011
For Turkey, Lure of European Union is Fast Fading

By DAN BILEFSKY

Published: December 4, 2011

ISTANBUL — As economic contagion tarnishes the European Union, a newly assertive Turkey is increasingly looking east instead of west, and asking a vexing question: Should Turkey reject Europe before Europe rejects Turkey?

When Recep Tayyip Erdogan , the charismatic prime minister, first swept to power in 2002, he made Turkey’s entry into the European Union his overriding goal. Determined to anchor the country to the West, Mr. Erdogan’s Muslim-inspired Justice and Development Party tackled thorny issues like improving minority rights and easing restrictions on free speech to move Turkey closer to Western norms.

But Turkey’s bid was greeted with skepticism and even disdain by some members of the union, not least because of Turkey’s large, almost entirely Muslim population. The negotiations dragged on endlessly without ever yielding a clear pathway to membership.

via For Turkey, Lure of European Union is Fast Fading – NYTimes.com.

more :

December 6, 2011
Is Turkey’s EU integration over?

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine attend a ceremony to celebrate 50 years of Turkish guest workers in Germany on November 2, 2011 in Berlin.

By Salah Bayaziddi

When Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Berlin to mark the 50th anniversary of an agreement that brought Turkish workers to West Germany and laid the foundations for a large immigrant community, he stated that Turks feel let down by Germany as Turkey pursues a slow-moving bid into the EU;

he urged more support. Clearly, this is an indication that, while Turkey seems to be so busy in pursuing its regional foreign policy and passion for becoming a regional superpower, its bid for an old dream of membership in the EU should be considered strong and alive.

This is also against all recent frequent remarks of AKP government officials who claim their country is in a better economic and political position without joining the EU. Indeed, since the rise of the Islamist-oriented regime of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 2002, Turkey has undergone a new social and political transformation and it seems the new Turkish elites have been trying hard to expand their sphere of economic and political influence in the Middle East and Islamic world in general in new ways.

Therefore, while many Turkish political observers have argued that it is natural for Turkey to come to this conclusion and that it might not need the economic and political benefits of the EU as badly as it thought it did, what?s the analysis of Erdogan?s official trip to two arch-enemy states (Germany and France),which openly opposed Turkey?s membership into the EU?

Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Germany to speak plainly about Turkey?s prospects of joining the EU, but clearly the Turkish Prime Minister?s remarks came at a time when German and French resistance to Turkish EU membership is seen by Ankara to have reduced Turkey-EU relations to a new low.

In the past, EU officials used to criticize Turkey on the grounds that it has illegally occupied a large portion of Cyprus, and that it resorted to the military option over the Kurdish issue and did not attempt a political solution; up to these days, none of these obstacles has yet to be removed.

Instead,the situation gets worse. Turkey?s active regional policies have created more problems and difficulties in front of this country?s long-standing bid to join the EU. Clearly, it seems the AKP is fantasizing about a new foreign policy approach, and all of this change of heart with its previous allies becomes more obvious following the new political and social upheaval in North Africa and the Middle East.

As a part of this new stand, the Turkish state became more aggressive toward Israel when Turkey expelled Israel’s ambassador and suspended all military agreements over its refusal to apologize for last year’s raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla. This should not be consider as one isolated incident in the recent Turkish foreign policy because it is a continuation of a pattern that started in recent years.

In line with this above argument, the European Union has all logical reasons to become more skeptical about Turkey?s ability or even willingness to apply these precondition standards before joining the ?European Club.? As a clear sign of this slow process, accession talks began in 2005 and have moved very slowly.

There are 35 negotiating chapters; 13 have been started, only one has concluded while 18 have been frozen. While Turkey has not been moving toward a final solution for its long-standing problems, it has been getting more involved in adventurous regional foreign policy in the recent years.It has been clearly obvious that the U.S. and other major Western powers are closely monitoring Turkey’s stance toward Hamas in Palestine.

Indeed, Turkey was the only pro-American ally to invite the leaders of this fundamental organization that has been declared a terrorist organization to its capital, and it outraged Israel and the U.S. at the time. The situation could have spiraled out of control when Turkey threatened Israel with unprecedented action after Israeli forces attacked an aid vessel, killing 15 peace activists headed to Gaza two and half years ago. As a clear sign of defiance, the Turkish government announced that the time had come for Israel to pay for its stance that sees it above international laws and disregards human conscience.

When Erdogan complained during his visit that Turkey feels let down by Germany for a bid into the EU that faces broad skepticism, he ignored or rather minimized the destructive effects of the AKP?s regional foreign policy over the issue of membership in the EU. As part of a more aggressive policy in the region, Turkey has taken a more hard-line stand toward Cyprus, a full member of the EU.

This new round of conflict started when the government of Cyprus begun drilling despite Turkish warnings in an escalating row over ownership of natural resources in the eastern Mediterranean. The drilling row has become heightened amid Turkey?s already simmering crisis with Israel, which, according to the Cyprus media’s unconfirmed reports, sent unmanned surveillance aircraft to fly over the drilling operation in a gesture of solidarity with Cyprus.

Adding complexity to the situation, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Irsen Kucuk (only recognized by Turkey) vowed to make every effort and show every kind of resistance to ?protect our rights and interests? and announced the formation of a special commission to monitor developments.

Yet another problem between Turkey and Germany?the same as with most EU members–is the Kurdish conflict and more clearly the PKK issue, with Turkish politicians repeatedly attacking the German government and accusing Berlin of indirectly protecting the Kurdish militants. “Twice as many PKK members live in Germany as in the Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq,” claimed Cemil Cecik, speaker of the Turkish Parliament and a party colleague of Erdogan, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

It was just last month that the Turkish Prime Minister himself criticized German foundations and accused them of funding the PKK. On the other hand, the EU criticizes Turkey on the grounds that it has resorted to the military option over the Kurdish issue and not attempted a political solution. The Union also criticizes Turkey for not applying to the Kurdish minority the Copenhagen criteria regarding the protection of minorities.

The Turkish approach to the Kurdish issue seems to have been incompatible with the Copenhagen criteria, which requires that Turkey should fully recognize cultural identity and cultural diversity, not least in the case of Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin.

Therefore, it is reasonable to argue since the rise of the AKPin 2002, Turkey has moved toward a more adventurous foreign policy; clearly this has caused additional problems for its EUbid. At the moment, as a growing regional power, Turkey is starting to flex its muscles. Erdogan was hailed during a visit to the region following the Arab revolts in Tunisia and Egypt and became the symbolic head of the freedom movement.

The moderate Islamists who were victorious in the recent Tunisian elections model their Islamic political framework on that of his governing AKP. Erdogan recently made his country’s opinion of its own power unmistakably clear: “Our interests range from the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean,” he said.In the end, another and probably one of the most growing areas of conflict between Turkey and the EU should point to the Middle East conflict.

While Germany and other members of the EU have called on the UN to recognize a Palestinian state, Germany–one of the most powerful members of the EU–voted against Palestinian membership of UNESCO last week. Therefore, it seems the Prime Minister and other AKP government officials are fully aware of the reasons behind the luck of support of Germany?s government for Turkey?s EU accession, but they are continuing to criticize Germany?s and other EU governments? integration policies. Nevertheless, it should be viewed as a logical outcome when the Turkish PM argued that Germany has ?abandoned? Turkey on the issue of EU accession.

November 25, 2011
Karel De Gucht European Commissioner for Trade EU and Turkey: a trade relationship with growth potential Conference of the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON) Istanbul

Istanbul

Mr President,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It’s good to see so many of you attending a conference on a subject that is of key importance in both economic and political terms.

It’s more than worthwhile to have this discussion with businessmen and -women as well as people in government on both the Turkish and the European side.

As I said yesterday: you are the people that make the EU-Turkey relationship work.

And it does work: the European Union is by far the largest market for Turkish products (accounting for some 46% of its global trade) and the source of most of its foreign direct investments, nearly 80% of which are European in origin. Likewise, Turkey is already of major importance for Europe’s economy (it is our 7 th trading partner) and yet there is plenty of potential still untapped; With growth rates of 9% last year and, hopefully, 7.5% this year, Europe’s business people know the way to Turkey.

Perhaps the most telling fact – both of the European interest and of Turkish potential – is that, despite the crisis, Europe has maintained and even increased its share of Turkey’s FDI.

This is much more than your average preferential partnership: our economies are deeply and fundamentally intertwined – first through the Customs Union and the accession process that provide the impetus for deep integration, and then through the businesspeople, investors and consumers that make such a union come to life.

We know that EU investors have cast their nets far broader than the traditional trade in goods, so that they now feature in almost every sector of the Turkish economy: from machinery to renewable energy, from insurance services to grocery retail.

That is also increasingly the case the other way around: if the Belgian company Deceuninck now produces PVC window frames in Turkey, the Belgian chocolates they eat during board meetings are made by Turkish companies, since the acquisition of Godiva by the Yildiz Holding in 2008. And the fact that a group of Turkish companies recently took over the French electric vehicle manufacturer Tilter goes to show that the relationship is not just strengthening and broadening but also becoming more and more balanced.

Clearly, the economic world has been unimpressed by the often adverse political conditions in our partnership.

But this does not mean it has been uninterested: some of the most vocal supporters of invigorating the relationship between us are found in the business community – and rightly so.

YOU know that, on the whole, economic integration has so far been a success;

YOU realise that the problematic issues that do occur every once in a while need a pragmatic solution, because the overall benefits of the economic bond far exceed the downsides of adapting to a predictable and transparent trade regime.

That is why I try to enlist YOU in the fight against protectionism.

We too, as politic ians, must not be defensive in this: we need a trade regime that fits our everyday economic reality, one that helps rather than hampers future opportunities. In the context of the EU-Turkey Customs Union, that means we just have to find realistic solutions to the trade irritants that threaten to sour the debate between us.

Both Turkey and the European Union are far from defensive in their general approach to trade policy:

The EU is the most open economy in the world; a staunch supporter of the WTO; convinced of the need for a multilateral agreement in the DDA and convincing in its approach to regional and bilateral free trade deals.

Though it is a difficult message in a period of crisis, we remain convinced that our economic openness is to our advantage; that now, more than ever, we need to tap into sources of growth around the world, while our own means of providing a stimulus to the economy are much more limited than before.

Even more than that, of course, we need to stabilise financial markets and restore trust in the euro. We must not underestimate the turmoil in the eurozone, of course, but I can tell you that the sense of urgency and the political will to do whatever is necessary to put government finances back in order and support the euro are unprecedented. We will go through hard times, but Europe will come out stronger than before.

Turkey, too, is offensive in its approach to trade policy – eagerly engaging with Asian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean economies because it is politically and economically interesting to do so. I see this not as a threat but as an opportunity for EU-partners, as Turkish exports are often fuelled by European imports and stimulated by European investments.

And if Turkey strengthens its economic bond with the new, democratic regimes in the Mediterranean, whose young and eager populations so desperately need some light at the end of their economic tunnel, we can only applaud that.

There is no need for jealousy in economic partnerships.

And yet there IS plenty of jealousy around in today’s economic world.

As I stressed in my speech yesterday: I AM afraid economies around the world are affected by the protectionist virus.

The number of protectionist measures put in place since the crisis has steadily increased. Efforts and commitments to reduce them have not been sufficient.

A new generation of protectionist measures is growing: new industrial policies of several G20 members raise concerns about open trade and investment, as they are often based on import substitution, discriminatory attitudes and domestic preference, local content requirements and restrictions in public procurement.

Turkey, of course, is not one of the main culprits, but neither is it immune from the pressure that haunts governments worldwide and from its own structural constraints.

Let me just quote a few of the worrying trade irritants that hamper our relationship for the moment:

1. Turkey has become one of the most important users of safeguard measures and it systematically prolongs safeguard measures beyond their initial period of application – despite the fact that in many cases the industry has recovered. In addition, Turkey always maintains the measures during the time of the investigation by imposing provisional measures. Turkey has also recently imposed a measure (PET) on the basis of findings of threat of injury, the lowest injury standard in WTO.

This is excessive and irregular use of safeguard measures, which can be seen as breaking WTO principles.

2. Turkey requires an import licence for second hand goods. Some listed second-hand goods can be imported either freely or through licences granted by various Turkish authorities. The lists do not refer to environmental, health or safety standards – only to price and quantity. The main objective is simply to restrict the importation of second hand goods and allow only a limited number of machinery necessary for the Turkish manufacturing industry. This is a breach in the free movement of goods within the Customs Union.

3. Early 2011 Turkey announced it would start safeguard investigations into the imports of a number of apparel and textile products. This has led to increased customs duties on textiles imports. Contrary to the initial decision, EU companies are not exempt: EU businesses exporting non-EU originating products to Turkey are now charged the highest rate of the duty – which is 30% – and the implementation rules are far from clear.

4. Turkey has laid down new requirements for imports of pharmaceuticals and, since March 2010, no longer accepts the EU Good Manufacturing Practices certificates. Instead, companies depend on Turkish official inspectors to get a certificate for new medicines or variations of existing products. This has led to significant delays in the registration of new pharmaceutical products in

Turkey. These new requirements coupled with the limited inspection and enforcement capacity of the Turkish authorities are de facto banning imports to Turkey.

The principle of free circulation of products between the EU and Turkey is not respected and the system doesn’t fit Turkey’s obligation to align its legislation on pharmaceuticals with the EU acquis .

5. Turkey has introduced export restrictions on copper scrap (similar to restrictions on paper and aluminium scrap), based on a non-automatic licensing scheme, the conditions for which are very difficult to meet (on site inspections, documentation on export connection etc). The effects thereof may be contrary to Customs Union rules prohibiting quantitative restrictions on exports.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In the larger context of the EU-Turkish relationship that is so vital in economic terms, we HAVE to address these issues find concrete and transparent solutions for them, and work them out TOGETHER.

Their short-term benefits for SOME far outweigh the negative long-term impact for ALL. Reducing the current account deficit is certainly a must and efforts should be deployed to cope with it. However, measures of a trade and fiscal nature clamping down on imports from close partners are patchwork actions that miss the wider picture.

Thank you very much.

November 19, 2011