History of relations European Union–Turkey relations

1 history of relations

1.1 key milestones
1.2 accession negotiations
1.3 institutional cooperation
1.4 timeline of notable positions , statements

history of relations

turkey 1 of first countries, in 1959, seek close cooperation young european economic community (eec).

this cooperation realized in framework of “association agreement”, known ankara agreement, signed on 12 september 1963. important element in plan establishing “customs union” turkey trade goods , agricultural products eec countries without restrictions.

the main aim of ankara agreement achieve “continuous improvement in living conditions in turkey , in european economic community through accelerated economic progress , harmonious expansion of trade, , reduce disparity between turkish economy , … community”.

in february 2016 council of europe sees turkey drifting towards autocracy.

key milestones

1963 association agreement signed between turkey , eu.
1987 turkey submits application full membership.
1993 eu , turkey customs union negotiations start.
1996 customs union between turkey , eu takes effect.
1999 @ helsinki summit, european council gives turkey status of candidate country eu membership, following commission’s recommendation in second regular report on turkey.
2001 european council adopts eu-turkey accession partnership, providing road map turkey’s eu accession process. turkish government adopts npaa, national programme adoption of acquis, reflecting accession partnership. @ copenhagen summit, european council decides increase eu financial support through called pre-accession instrument (ipa).
2004 european council decides open accession negotiations turkey.
2005 accession negotiations open.
2016 european parliament votes suspend accession negotiations turkey on human rights , rule of law concerns.

accession negotiations

enlargement 1 of eu s powerful policy tools. managed process helps transformation of countries involved, extending peace, stability, prosperity, democracy, human rights , rule of law across europe.the european union enlargement process took major step forward on 3 october 2005 when accession negotiations opened turkey , croatia. after years of preparation 2 candidates formally opened next stage of accession process. negotiations relate adoption , implementation of eu body of law, known acquis. acquis approximately 130,000 pages of legal documents grouped 35 chapters , forms rules member states of eu should adhere. candidate country, turkey needs adapt considerable part of national legislation in line eu law. means fundamental changes society affect sectors of country, environment judiciary, transport agriculture, , across sections of population. however, candidate country not negotiate on acquis communautaire these rules must adopted candidate country. negotiation aspect on conditions harmonization , implementation of acquis, is, how rules going applied , when. reason accession negotiations not considered negotiations in classical sense. in order become member state, candidate country must bring institutions, management capacity , administrative , judicial systems eu standards, both @ national , regional level. allows them implement acquis upon accession and, necessary, able implement in time before accession. requires well-functioning , stable public administration built on efficient , impartial civil service, , independent , efficient judicial system.

institutional cooperation

the association agreement turkey has eu serves basis implementation of accession process. several institutions have been set ensure political dialogue , cooperation throughout membership preparation process.

association council

the council made of representatives of turkish government, european council , european commission. instrumental in shaping , orienting turkey-eu relations. aim implement association agreement in political, economic , commercial issues. association council meets twice year @ ministerial level. council takes decisions unanimously. turkey , eu side have 1 vote each.

association comity

the association comity brings experts eu , turkey examine association related technical issues , prepare agenda of association council. negotiations chapters discussed in 8 sub-comity s organised follows:

joint parliamentary commission

joint parliamentary commission control body of turkey-eu association. task analyze annual activity reports submitted association council , make recommendations on eu-turkey association related issues.

it consists of 18 members selected turkish grand national assembly , european parliament, meet twice year.

customs union joint comity

the main task of cujc establish consultative procedure in order ensure legislative harmony foreseen in fields directly related functioning of customs union between turkey , eu. cujc makes recommendations association council. foreseen meet regularly once month.

joint consultative comity

joint consultative committee (jcc) formed on 16 november 1995 in accordance article 25 of ankara agreement. comity aims promote dialogue , cooperation between economic , social interest groups in european community , turkey , facilitate institutionalization of partners of dialogue in turkey. joint consultative comity has mixed, cooperative , two-winged structure: eu , turkey wings. has 36 members in total, composed of 18 turkish , 18 eu representatives , has 2 elected co-chairmen, 1 turkish side , other eu side.

eu related administrative bodies in turkish administration

secretariat general european union affairs established in july 2000 ensure internal coordination , harmony in preparation of turkey eu membership.

under secretariat of foreign trade eu executive board established ensure direction, follow-up , final of work carried out within scope of customs union , aim of integration.

timeline of notable positions , statements

in 1920s, mustafa kemal atatürk, founder of republic of turkey, said there different cultures, 1 civilization, making clear not referring islamic civilization: turks have gone east west.


in november 2002, ak party led later prime minister , president recep tayyip erdoğan first elected power, has held since, islamist erdoğan famous quote democracy train. shall out when arrive @ station want.


in july 2007, european commission president josé manuel barroso said turkey not ready join eu tomorrow nor day after tomorrow , membership negotiations should continue. called on france , other member states honour decision continue accession talks, describing matter of credibility union.


in september 2011, german chancellor angela merkel has on occasion of visit of turkish president abdullah gül said: don t want full membership of turkey. don t want lose turkey important country , referring idea of strategic partnership.


in june 2013 turkey’s undersecretary of ministry of eu affairs haluk ilıcak said “the process means more accession. once necessary levels achieved, turkey big enough continue development without accession. our aim achieve smooth accession process.”


during 2014 european parliament election campaign, presidential candidates jean-claude juncker (eep) , martin schulz (s&d) promised turkey never join european union while either 1 of them president, reasoning turkey had turned on european democratic values. juncker won election , became new president of eu of 1 november 2014. later reaffirmed stance: regards turkey, country far away eu membership. government blocks twitter not ready accession.


in march 2016, turkish president recep tayyip erdogan said democracy , freedom phrases had absolutely no value in turkey, after calling journalists, lawyers , politicians prosecuted terrorists.


in march 2017, in speech given supporters in western turkish city of sakarya, turkish president recep tayyip erdoğan said dear brothers, battle has started between cross , half moon , after insulting european government politicians nazis in weeks before. same month, threatened europeans not able walk safely on streets if kept banning turkish ministers addressing rallies in europe. european politicians rejected erdoğan s comments.


in march 2017, frank-walter steinmeier in inaugural speech president of germany said way (at turkey) characterized worry, has been built on years , decades collapsing.


everybody’s clear that, @ least, turkey moving away european perspective,” european commissioner johannes hahn, oversees eu membership bids, said in may 2017. focus of our relationship has else. have see done in future, see if can restart kind of cooperation.


in tv debate in september 2017, german chancellor angela merkel , challenger martin schulz both said seek end turkey’s membership talks european union. time, accession talks had ground virtual halt , eu leaders had stepped criticism of erdogan.




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^ eu: bericht: europarat sieht türkei auf dem weg in die autokratie . die zeit. 1 march 2017. retrieved 3 march 2017. 
^ türkei: europarat warnt vor drohender autokratie (in german). tagesschau. retrieved 3 march 2017. 
^ islamic democracy exist? part 4: turkey s great leap forward . spiegel online. 11 september 2008. 
^ america s dark view of turkish premier erdogan . der spiegel. 30 november 2010. 
^ turkey s vote makes erdoğan dictator . new yorker. 17 april 2017. 
^ barroso says turkey not ready eu membership, urges continued negotiations . zaman, javno.hr, dpa, reuters. southeast european times. 22 july 2007. 
^ die welt: vor treffen mit gül: merkel lehnt eu-mitgliedschaft der türkei ab, 20 september 2011. retrieved 22 september 2011
^ turkey s eu process end in itself, says turkish diplomat – politics . retrieved 7 june 2015. 
^ sarmadi, dario. juncker , schulz no turkey in last tv duel . 21/05/2014. efficacité et transparence des acteurs européens. retrieved 26 may 2014. 
^ foreign policy objectives, official website of eu president juncker, when comes enlargement, has been historic success. however, europe needs digest addition of 13 member states in past 10 years. our citizens need pause enlargement can consolidate has been achieved among 28. why, under presidency of commission, ongoing negotiations of course continue, , notably western balkans need keep european perspective, no further enlargement take place on next 5 years. regards turkey, country far away eu membership. government blocks twitter not ready accession.
^ president erdogan says freedom , democracy have no value in turkey amid arrests , military crackdown . independent. 18 march 2016. 
^ erdogan accuses eu of crusade against islam . deutsche welle. 17 march 2017. 
^ erdogan warns europeans not walk safely if attitude persists, row carries on . reuters. 22 march 2017. 
^ deutsche politiker geben zurückhaltung gegenüber erdogan auf . die welt. 28 march 2017. 
^ turkey s eu dream over, now, top eu official says . hürriyet daily news. 2 may 2017. 
^ in shift, merkel backs end eu-turkey membership talks . reuters. 3 september 2017.