TURKEY – EU RELATIONS

Turkey – EU RelationsTurkey – EU Relations Application of Turkey for an association agreement with the Application of Turkey for an association agreement with the

EEC in July 1959EEC in July 1959

Ankara AgreementAnkara Agreement signed in Sept 1963 signed in Sept 1963

Turkey’s association with the EEC was “Turkey’s association with the EEC was “determined to determined to establish ever closer bonds between the Turkish people establish ever closer bonds between the Turkish people and the peoples brought together in the European and the peoples brought together in the European Economic CommunityEconomic Community””

SStage by stage integration process concluding eventually tage by stage integration process concluding eventually with full membership of the Customs Union following the with full membership of the Customs Union following the successful completion of the preparatory and the successful completion of the preparatory and the transitional stagestransitional stages, and , and a movement towards free mobility a movement towards free mobility of labor between Turkey and the of labor between Turkey and the EECEEC at some future date at some future date..

Why Turkey applied for the EECWhy Turkey applied for the EEC

Identity issue:Identity issue: c closer relations with the emerging loser relations with the emerging European Community seemed consistent with the European Community seemed consistent with the fundamental goals of building and maintaining a fundamental goals of building and maintaining a secular, democratic and Western-oriented statesecular, democratic and Western-oriented state;;

Turkey – Greece relations:Turkey – Greece relations: to to prevent Greece from prevent Greece from taking unfair advantage in its subsequent bilateral taking unfair advantage in its subsequent bilateral relations with Turkeyrelations with Turkey;;

LoLong-term benefitsng-term benefits:: generated through closer generated through closer interaction with a powerful economic unioninteraction with a powerful economic union;;

Comparison of Turkey and Greece Comparison of Turkey and Greece in 1960s and early 1970sin 1960s and early 1970s

Application of Greece to the EEC: June ’59 (Turkey in July ’59)Application of Greece to the EEC: June ’59 (Turkey in July ’59)

Athens Associaton Agreement: Nov ’62 (Ankara Agreement in Sept Athens Associaton Agreement: Nov ’62 (Ankara Agreement in Sept ’63)’63)

The positions were almost similar; both NATO countries and The positions were almost similar; both NATO countries and critical critical for western security interests in the Cold War contextfor western security interests in the Cold War context

The nature of the association agreements signed with the two The nature of the association agreements signed with the two countries were also broadly similarcountries were also broadly similar (although the agreement with (although the agreement with Turkey was less generous)Turkey was less generous)

While Greece was isolated from international diplomacy and the While Greece was isolated from international diplomacy and the Athens Agreement was suspended because of the military regime Athens Agreement was suspended because of the military regime between 1967 and 74, Turkey was still on its way to the EEC.between 1967 and 74, Turkey was still on its way to the EEC.

Additional Agreement Protocol Additional Agreement Protocol between Turkey and the EEC between Turkey and the EEC signed in November 1970signed in November 1970 in in BrusselsBrussels

Additional Protocol openedAdditional Protocol opened way to further financial way to further financial support, determined the support, determined the conditions of the full conditions of the full membership and arranged the membership and arranged the formation of a Customs Union formation of a Customs Union between Turkey and the EU between Turkey and the EU 22 years after the Protocol 22 years after the Protocol ((approved in 1973approved in 1973))

Turning point: 1974Turning point: 1974

USA and the EEC disapproved USA and the EEC disapproved the military interventionthe military intervention..

DDownfall of the junta regime in ownfall of the junta regime in Greece and Greece and the formation of a the formation of a democratic governmentdemocratic government..

Greece applied for membership Greece applied for membership in 1975 and became a member in 1975 and became a member in 1981in 1981

WhyWhy did did Turkey fail to apply for full membership of Turkey fail to apply for full membership of

the EC at the same time as Greecethe EC at the same time as Greece?? Turkish policy makers underestimated the difficulties Turkish policy makers underestimated the difficulties

that Greece’s inclusion in the EC would pose for the that Greece’s inclusion in the EC would pose for the subsequent course of Turkey-EC relationssubsequent course of Turkey-EC relations;;

Turkish policy makers failed to anticipate the speed Turkish policy makers failed to anticipate the speed of the full membership after the Greek applicationof the full membership after the Greek application; ;

Turkish political elitesTurkish political elites were reluctant to accelerate were reluctant to accelerate the pace of integration and to expose Turkish the pace of integration and to expose Turkish industry to unnecessary and premature competitionindustry to unnecessary and premature competition

Late 1970s and 1980Late 1970s and 1980In late 70s, with the In late 70s, with the possibility of an early accession of possibility of an early accession of

GreeceGreece and the start of negotiations with Portugal and the start of negotiations with Portugal (1978) and Spain (1979), (1978) and Spain (1979), the idea of applying for full-the idea of applying for full-membership gained increasing support in Turkeymembership gained increasing support in Turkey..

However, However, growing domestic political and economic growing domestic political and economic instabilityinstability and the opposition of the and the opposition of the Islamist element in Islamist element in the coalition government the coalition government to the ECto the EC delayed the delayed the application application

Finally, the military coupFinally, the military coup d’etat d’etat in in 12 12 September 1980 put an end to any September 1980 put an end to any chance of possible full-membership in the chance of possible full-membership in the foreseeable futureforeseeable future

After the military regimeAfter the military regime

Following the military regime between 1980 and Following the military regime between 1980 and 1983, Turkey gradually returned to democracy1983, Turkey gradually returned to democracy

TTransformed in the direction of a far more open ransformed in the direction of a far more open and outward-oriented economy in the course of and outward-oriented economy in the course of the 1980s and the 1990sthe 1980s and the 1990s

relations with the ECrelations with the EC improved improved

OOfficial relations between Turkey and the EUfficial relations between Turkey and the EU revitalized in September 1986revitalized in September 1986

Application for full membershipApplication for full membership

Turkey applied for full membership in April 1987Turkey applied for full membership in April 1987 in December 1989in December 1989,, the application was rejected the application was rejected

Turkey had failed to satisfy both basic Turkey had failed to satisfy both basic economic and political criteria for full-economic and political criteria for full-membershipmembership

the European Community was in the process the European Community was in the process of becoming the even (politically and of becoming the even (politically and economically) tighter European Unioneconomically) tighter European Union

in any event, another round of enlargement in any event, another round of enlargement would not take place at least until 1993would not take place at least until 1993

EU-Turkey Customs UnionEU-Turkey Customs Union

Came into force on 31 December 1995Came into force on 31 December 1995 Removal of customs restrictions in goods Removal of customs restrictions in goods

except for most of the agricultural except for most of the agricultural products. (Does not include services or products. (Does not include services or public procurement.) public procurement.)

The Customs Union was regarded as an The Customs Union was regarded as an important step towards full membership of important step towards full membership of Turkey to the EUTurkey to the EU

1997: Rejection and Disappointment1997: Rejection and Disappointment In In EU’s Luxembourg Summit of December 1997 EU’s Luxembourg Summit of December 1997

Turkey was excluded from candidate statusTurkey was excluded from candidate status

RRecognition of the candidacy of the post-ecognition of the candidacy of the post-Communist Communist CEECsCEECs, which had broadly similar , which had broadly similar economic structures to Turkey and far more economic structures to Turkey and far more limited experience of democratic governmentlimited experience of democratic government

This decision was seen as a proof that the EU This decision was seen as a proof that the EU considered Turkey as an “considered Turkey as an “outsideroutsider”.”.

1999 and After1999 and After In 1999 Helsinki Summit, the EU agreed that In 1999 Helsinki Summit, the EU agreed that

““Turkey was a candidate State destined to join Turkey was a candidate State destined to join the Union on the basis of the same criteria as the Union on the basis of the same criteria as applied to the other candidate Statesapplied to the other candidate States””

Economically, Economically, Turkey’s candidacy contributed Turkey’s candidacy contributed towards the creation of a favorable towards the creation of a favorable environment for the implementation of a major environment for the implementation of a major program of stabilization and public sector program of stabilization and public sector restructuringrestructuring..

In 17 December 2004, the European Council In 17 December 2004, the European Council agreed on opening full-membership agreed on opening full-membership negotiations with Turkey negotiations with Turkey

TThe accession talks officially opened on 3 he accession talks officially opened on 3 October 2005October 2005

Chapter NegotiationsChapter Negotiations To accede to the EU, Turkey must successfully complete To accede to the EU, Turkey must successfully complete

negotiations with the European Commission on each of the 35 negotiations with the European Commission on each of the 35 chapters of the chapters of the acquis communautaireacquis communautaire

October 2005: Opening of 6 chapters of the acquis: October 2005: Opening of 6 chapters of the acquis: Right of Right of Establishment & Freedom To Provide Services, Company Law, Establishment & Freedom To Provide Services, Company Law, Financial Services, Information Society & Media, Statistics, and Financial Services, Information Society & Media, Statistics, and Financial ControlFinancial Control..

June 2006: Chapter on June 2006: Chapter on Science & ResearchScience & Research opened and closed. opened and closed. December 2006 – Continued dispute over Cyprus prompts the EU to December 2006 – Continued dispute over Cyprus prompts the EU to

freeze talks on 8 chapters and state that no chapters would be closed freeze talks on 8 chapters and state that no chapters would be closed until a resolution is found.until a resolution is found.

2007: Chapters on 2007: Chapters on Enterprise & Industrial Policy, Statistics & Enterprise & Industrial Policy, Statistics & Financial Control, Health & Consumer Protection and Trans-Financial Control, Health & Consumer Protection and Trans-European NetworksEuropean Networks opened. opened.

2008: Chapters on 2008: Chapters on Company Law, Intellectual Property Law, Company Law, Intellectual Property Law, Economic & Monetary Policy and Information Society & MediaEconomic & Monetary Policy and Information Society & Media are are opened.opened.

Chapter NegotiationsChapter Negotiations

2009: Chapters on Taxation and Environment are opened.2009: Chapters on Taxation and Environment are opened. June 2010 – Chapter on Food Safety, Veterinary & Phytosanitary June 2010 – Chapter on Food Safety, Veterinary & Phytosanitary

Policy is opened.Policy is opened. May 2012 – Launch of the "Positive Agenda" with Turkey.May 2012 – Launch of the "Positive Agenda" with Turkey. July 2012 - 31 December 2012 - Turkey froze relations with the July 2012 - 31 December 2012 - Turkey froze relations with the

European Union for the duration of Republic of Cyprus' rotating European Union for the duration of Republic of Cyprus' rotating presidency.presidency.

February 2013 - France's foreign minister Laurent Fabius February 2013 - France's foreign minister Laurent Fabius announces that France will officially remove its veto over Chapter 22 announces that France will officially remove its veto over Chapter 22 Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments and Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments and assist in the chapter's opening. The veto on Chapter 17 Economic assist in the chapter's opening. The veto on Chapter 17 Economic and Monetary Policy may also be removed in the future.and Monetary Policy may also be removed in the future.

June 2013 - Chapter on Regional Policy and Coordination of June 2013 - Chapter on Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments is openedStructural Instruments is opened

Uncertain FutureUncertain Future No predetermined date for Turkey’s No predetermined date for Turkey’s

accessionaccession

Opposition from Germany and Opposition from Germany and France: Privileged partnership offerFrance: Privileged partnership offer

Support from UK, Italy, Spain and Support from UK, Italy, Spain and PortugalPortugal

Positive and critical issuesPositive and critical issues

Positive IssuesPositive Issues

Strategic Location: Strategic Location: Stronger EU in the Stronger EU in the international areainternational area

Aging Europe / Young Aging Europe / Young and dynamic population and dynamic population of Turkeyof Turkey

Alliance of CivilizationsAlliance of Civilizations Energy securityEnergy security

Critical Issues Large population Religion and identity Cyprus problem Kurdish problem Armenian problem