[135], In 2004, the French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier stated that Turkey must recognise the systematic massacres of Armenians in 1915 as a genocide. The prospects of green energy have rekindled the flame of interest from German energy firm RWE in Greece’s Public Power Corporation (PPC), first expressed in 2008 with plans for joining forces in the construction of two coal-fired plants with a total output of 1.6 gigawatts. [103][104], According to Forbes magazine, Istanbul had a total of 37 billionaires in 2013, ranking 5th in the world behind Moscow (84 billionaires), New York City (62 billionaires), Hong Kong (43 billionaires) and London (43 billionaires). [157] Opposition in Denmark to Turkish membership was polled at 60% in October 2007, despite the Danish government's support for Turkey's EU bid. This means it should be offered official candidate status when it is ready. The Eurobarometer September–October 2006 survey[156] shows that 59% of EU-27 citizens are against Turkey joining the EU, while only about 28% are in favour. Helsinki European Council declares Turkey a candidate country. The deficits, the study argues, suggest that the Turkish state, Turkish civil society, and European decision-makers would be well advised to continue to support civil society and secular democracy in Turkey. Current EU states typically contain large Muslim minorities. Islam is the religion of 5% to 10% of French citizens; see for instance Molly Moore. ", "Cyprus won't open EU accession chapters for Turkey", "Fule urges Turkey to implement Additional Protocol", "Turkey-EU Relations: time to rebuild trust", "Turkey tells EU it may postpone competition chapter if needed", "Turkey sees bleak future for EU accession talks in 2012", "Turkey: EU political benchmarks 'were never given to us, "EU Commissioner Fule: Positive Agenda to put EU process back on track", "Bağış: 'Dört fasılda kapanış kriterlerini yerine getirdiğimizin teyidini aldık, "Turkey targets 2013 for EU legal compliance", "Brussels declines to endorse 2013 date for Turkey's EU entry", "Merkel reassures Turkey on EU talks, Erdogan raps Cyprus", "Gül: 'Biz de AB üyeliğini referanduma götüreceğiz, "New Eurobarometer poll results show a drop in Turkish support for the EU", "Turkey welcomes new chapter in EU talks, wants more progress", "Turkey could put EU talks to a referendum next year: Erdogan", "Euro MPs vote to freeze Turkey EU membership talks", "EU says won't expand Turkey membership talks", "Turkey's Impending Estrangement From the West", "Turkey's EU bid in jeopardy after Council of Europe vote", "EU plans to cut financial assistance to Turkey", "Enlargement and Stabilisation and Association Process Council conclusions", "Turkey condemns European parliament committee call to suspend...", "Turkey Faces Crucial Vote on EU Accession Before Local Ballot", "European Commission - Commission Visa Progress Report: Turkey makes progress towards visa liberalisation", http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/enlargement_process/accession_process/how_does_a_country_join_the_eu/negotiations_croatia_turkey/overview_negotiations_tr_en.pdf, "Turkey expects new talks on its EU bid next month", "New EU chapter promises regional development in Turkey", "Accession conference with Turkey: Talks opened on Chapter 33 - Financial and budgetary provisions", "Commission Staff Working Document - Turkey 2015 Report", "Commission Staff Working Document - Turkey 2016 Report", "Turkey - financial assistance under IPA II", "Turkey received €1bn in EU money to develop democracy", "Where did all the money from the EU to Turkey go? (Two chapters do not require negotiation.) It has 3 aims: A country is offered the prospect of membership (it becomes a potential candidate). [6], Since 2016 accession negotiations have stalled. He also suggested this was a deliberate attempt to slow their accession process.[33]. [110] Turkey's large population would alter the balance of power in the representative European institutions. [159][160], The opening of membership talks with the EU in December 2004 was celebrated by Turkey with much fanfare,[161] but the Turkish populace has become increasingly sceptical as negotiations are delayed based on what it views as lukewarm support for its accession to the EU and alleged double standards in its negotiations particularly with regard to the French and Austrian referendums. [7] The EU has accused and criticized Turkey for human rights violations and deficits in rule of law. are anxious at the prospect of a new wave of Muslim immigrants, given the country's already large Muslim community).[90]. open: the EU and Turkey 10 years on", "Support for EU Accession Increases in Turkey", "Turkey losing appetite for EU bid, says survey", "Bağış: Fransa'nın tutumunda değişimin başladığını görüyoruz", "Juncker and Schulz say 'no' to Turkey in last TV duel", "Erdoğan: 'AB konusunda bir yere kadar sabredeceğiz, "Erdoğan: 'AB'nin güçsüz düşmesi geniş bir coğrafyayı olumsuz etkiler, Kanzlerin in Ankara: Merkel lehnt EU-Beitritt der Türkei weiter ab, Vor Treffen mit Gül: Merkel lehnt EU-Mitgliedschaft der Türkei ab, "Merkel backs new EU talks for Turkey but has doubts", "Merkel Worried about Turkey: Situation Is "Very, Very Serious, Erdogan struggles with Merkel's scepticism on Turkish EU bid, "In shift, Merkel backs end to EU-Turkey membership talks", "Sarkozy : La France et l'Asie mineure – Turquie Européenne", "France's Hollande cautiously backs Turkey EU membership bid", "Barroso says Turkey not ready for EU membership, urges continued negotiations", "EUbusiness: Portugal rejects major EU debate on Turkey this year", "ANSAmed: Italy-Turkey: Frattini, We Strongly Support EU Membership", "Italy urges EU to speed up Turkey's application", "Sarkozy cancels Sweden visit over Turkey", "La Moncloa – Spanish Government: Spain supports Turkey's candidature to the EU", "Greek President: 'We Cannot Support Turkey's Membership to the EU, "David Miliband is visiting Turkey on 4 and 5 November", "Cameron 'anger' at slow pace of Turkish EU negotiations", "Cameron: Turkey on course to join EU 'in year 3000, "German minister's EU remarks on Turkey 'unacceptable, "German finance minister says Turkey is not part of Europe", "Turkey's EU process an end in itself, says Turkish diplomat", "Business between Czech companies and Turkey on the rise", "President Erdogan says freedom and democracy have 'no value' in Turkey amid arrests and military crackdown", "Erdogan accuses EU of 'crusade' against Islam", "Deutsche Politiker geben Zurückhaltung gegenüber Erdogan auf", "Turkey is no longer an EU candidate, MEP says", Recommendation of the European Commission on Turkey’s progress towards accession, Republic of Turkey Secretariat General for EU Affairs, Turkey's Chief Negotiator for the EU Egemen Bağış: "We Perceive Europe as a Union of Values", Economic relationships with third countries, African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly, Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department, Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development, Director General of the Military Staff/Director of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability, Director of the Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability, Crisis Management and Planning Directorate, Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management, Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space, Medal for Extraordinary Meritorious Service, Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation, Operations of the European Border and Coast Guard, Operations of the European Maritime Force, Operations of the European Rapid Operational Force, Missions of the European Gendarmerie Force, Treaty establishing the European Defence Community, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Accession_of_Turkey_to_the_European_Union&oldid=1011951425, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from September 2010, Articles lacking reliable references from August 2008, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2016, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2017, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from December 2017, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2005, Articles with failed verification from November 2013, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2008, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2009, All Wikipedia articles needing clarification, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from February 2021, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from January 2021, All Wikipedia articles in need of updating, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from January 2018, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This article is part of a series about the. In terms of imports, 75% come from EU Member States (Germany 20%, Italy 9% and Hungary 7%), while outside the EU 5% come from China and 4% from Turkey. The Ankara Agreement sought to integrate Turkey into a customs union with the EEC whilst acknowledging the final goal of membership. [50], On 26 June 2018, the EU's General Affairs Council stated that "the Council notes that Turkey has been moving further away from the European Union. Turkey is set to receive EUR 9.2bn from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, a funding mechanism for EU candidate countries. The EU Council froze the opening of eight chapters over Turkey's rejection to open its ports and airports to traffic from Cyprus in 2006. [15] During World War II, Turkey remained neutral until February 1945, when it joined the Allies. [154] The Asian side of the country also contains the nation's capital and second-largest city Ankara. [96] The EU accession bid has stimulated Turkey's political and legal reforms and intensified the democratisation process.[97]. For the broad perspective on relations between the European Union and Turkey, see. After over two years of no chapter openings, the European Commission set up a "Positive Agenda" designed to focus on common EU-Turkey interests. [165], According to the Transatlantic Trends survey for 2013, 60% of Turks have an unfavourable view of the European Union[166] and most Turks believe that working with Asia is more important to their national interests than working with Europe. Afterward, the member states must unanimously agree on granting Turkey membership to the European Union. France blocked some chapters from proceeding to the next stage of the process, but subsequently lifted their veto. Both Austria and France have said they would hold a referendum on Turkey's accession. [72] This has played a significant role in the debate, due in part to the Eurozone crisis and the fact that as a result of this the eurozone and the EU overall is more federalised on both fiscal, legal and political levels than it was at the time of Turkey's application or at the time that Turkey was accepted as a candidate. [106] Turkey became the European Union's fifth-largest trade partner in 2015 according to data released by Eurostat.[107]. This means Turkey would get the maximal number of representatives in the European Parliament, equal to Germany's. [93] During potential economic crisis events, Turkey could benefit from EU assistance. The Turkish position vis-à-vis Europe has been characterized as "Europe has been an object of desire as well as a source of frustration for Turkish national identity in a long and strained history". ÖZKÖK, Ertuğrul. [95], Some secularists in Turkey envisage that the accession of Turkey will contribute to the spread of secular western values in Turkey. [70] Turkish media commented that "perhaps it can explain why this money apparently failed to have the slightest effect on efforts to prevent the deterioration of democracy in this country. Nearly all citizens (about 9 in 10) expressed concerns about human rights as the leading cause. [21], The European Commission recommended that the negotiations should begin in 2005, but also added various precautionary measures. Sweden: Interest deduction limitation rules in breach of EU law according to ECJ. "[34] The EU Commission mentioned a broad range of areas as the main elements of the Agenda such as "intensified dialogue and cooperation on political reforms", "visa", "mobility and migration", "energy", "fight against terrorism", "further participation of Turkey in Community programmes", "town twinning", "trade and the Customs Union” and "supporting efforts to align with the acquis, including on chapters where accession negotiations cannot be opened for the time being". [94], Free movement of people across the EU will give many Turkish people the opportunity to migrate to other parts of Europe in search of work, or a higher standard of living. Upon joining the EU, Turkey's 83 million inhabitants would bestow it the second largest number of MEPs in the European Parliament. [3] After the ten founding members, Turkey was one of the first countries to become a member of the Council of Europe in 1949. 97% of Turkey's territory lies in Asia and only 3% of its territory lies in Europe. [43] Germany says that its reservation stems from a technical issue, but Angela Merkel, an opponent of Turkish entry into the EU, has described herself as "shocked" after Ankara's use of overwhelming police force against mostly peaceful demonstrators. [158], There is a trend in declining support since 2000 that has continued during the 2016–present purges in Turkey. MEPs vote overwhelmingly to suspend negotiations with Turkey over human rights and rule of law concerns. A mid-2006 Eurobarometer survey revealed that 43% of Turkish citizens view the EU positively; just 35% trust the EU, 45% support enlargement and just 29% support an EU constitution. Screening process begins. [42], A Eurobarometer poll which included EU countries and candidate countries as well, showed that 43% of Turks viewed the EU positively, as compared with 60% six months previously. [111][failed verification]{{dubious|date=November 2013} In 2021, the population of Turkey is estimated at 83 people million.[112]. [8] In 2017, EU officials expressed that planned Turkish policies violate the Copenhagen criteria of eligibility for an EU membership. But there are still considerable deficits concerning the liberal values components, which are very important for an effective democracy. The Bank of England estimates that the fallout of a No Deal Brexit will be worse than the 2008 financial crisis. During the 1990s, Turkey proceeded with closer integration with the European Union by agreeing to a customs union in 1995. The process of joining the EU (accession) broadly consists of 3 stages:. [19] This position was confirmed again in the Luxembourg European Council of 1997 in which accession talks were started with central and eastern European states and Cyprus, but not Turkey. [38] In 2006 European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said that the accession process will take at least until 2021. The EU welcomes Turkey's commitment to accelerate the fulfilment of the Visa Roadmap benchmarks in return for halting the flow of Syrian refugees from Turkey to Greece. "Türkiye artık yüzde 99'u müslüman olan ülke değil". A Microsoft 365 subscription offers an ad-free interface, custom domains, enhanced security options, the full desktop version of Office, and 1 … As a result of the Working Groups meetings held so far, a total of four closing benchmarks were confirmed to have been met by Turkey in three chapters (Company Law, Consumer and Health Protection as well as Financial Control chapters). After the ten founding members, Turkey was one of the first countries to become a member of the Council of Europe in 1949. Turkey has taken advantage of a customs union with the European Union, signed in 1995, to increase its industrial production destined for exports, while at the same time benefiting from EU-origin foreign investment into the country. This means it is expected to become a full EU member on the date laid down in the treaty, providing the treaty has been ratified. Morocco's application is already rejected on geographic grounds; Turkey, unlike Morocco, has 3% of its territory in Europe. [35][36], In 2007, Turkey stated that they were aiming to comply with EU law by 2013,[37] but Brussels refused to back that as a deadline for membership. A government that blocks Twitter is certainly not ready for accession. [123], Turkey has a secular constitution, with no "official" state religion, although the country's most prominent imam (currently Ali Erbaş) is a civil servant and head of the Religious Affairs Directorate, or Diyanet. In the earlier March–May 2006 Eurobarometer, citizens from the new member states were more in favour of Turkey joining (44% in favour) than the old EU-15 (38% in favour). However, larger imports amounting to about US$204.8 billion[102] threaten the balance of trade (main import partners: Russia 13.8%, Germany 10.3%, China 7.8%, Italy 6%, USA 4.8%, France 4.6%, Iran 3.9%, UK 3.2%; total EU imports 40.4%; total Asia imports 27%). According to Greek Cypriots, the latest proposal included maintained residence rights for the many Anatolian Turks who moved to Cyprus after the invasion (and their descendants who were born on the island after 1974), while the Greek Cypriots who lost their property after the Turkish invasion would be granted only a restricted right of return to the north following the island's proposed reunification. CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (. Upon joining the EU, Turkey's 83 million inhabitants would bestow the largest number of MEPs in the European Parliament. [146], Kemal Kerinçsiz, an ultra-nationalist lawyer, and other members of Büyük Hukukçular Birliği (Great Jurists Union) headed by Kerinçsiz, have been "behind nearly all of [Article 301] trials. It will support the Commission in designing future-proof policies and legislation that serves both the current needs and longer-term aspirations of European citizens. including anti-discrimination and equal opportunities for women and men. "[87], EU member states must unanimously agree on Turkey's membership for the Turkish accession to be successful. However, as a single country can only hold a maximum of 96 seats in the European Parliament, this would not give Turkey an advantage in the European Parliament. Food Safety, Veterinary & Phytosanitary Policy, 22. In addition, there are businesses in Brazil and Turkey … Testing an EU-Candidate's Place on the Maps of Global Economic, Political and Social Values: The Case of Turkey. "[118], Turkey's refusal to implement a trade pact between Turkey and the EU that requires the Turkish government to allow Greek Cypriot vessels to use its air and seaports has prompted the EU to freeze eight chapters in Turkey's accession talks. Strategic foresight aims to identify emerging challenges and opportunities to better steer the European Union's strategic choices and to inform major policy initiatives. The next significant step in Turkey–EU relations came with the December 2002 Copenhagen European Council. [127] A separate study published in 2020 found 90% of Turks identify as Muslim. In the framework of "Positive Agenda", Working Groups were established on 8 chapters ("3-Right of Establishment and Freedom to Provide Services", "6-Company Law", "10-Information Society and Media", "18-Statistics", "23-Judiciary and Fundamental Rights", "24-Justice, Freedom and Security", "28-Consumer and Health Protection", and "32-Financial Control"). 25: "EU Public Opinion on Turkish EU Membership: Trends and Drivers" Jakob Lindgaard 2018, Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs Directorate for EU Affairs, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, European Union–Turkey relations § EU pre-accession support to Turkey, largest carrier in the world by number of countries served, the second-largest military force of NATO, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Armenian Genocide recognition § Position of Turkey, assassination of several Christian missionaries, EU sets date for membership talks with Turkey, killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915, "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects", "Interview with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on BBC Sunday AM", "Never mind Brexit scaremongering – Turkey is a long way from joining the EU", "Erdogan warns Europeans 'will not walk safely' if attitude persists, as row carries on", "New clashes likely between Turkey, Europe", "EU Council issues strong message about Turkey's obligations", "EU will Zollunion mit der Türkei nicht ausbauen", "European Neighbourhood Policy And Enlargement Negotiations - European Commission: Turkey", "Parliament wants to suspend EU accession negotiations with Turkey", "Chronology Of Turkey-European Union Relations (1959-2019)", "Greece and Turkey accede to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization", "European Council: EU would open accession negotiations with Turkey", "Today's Zaman: Turkey Starts Full Membership Negotiations with EU", "Turkey, with eye on EU, says determined to reform", "Cyprus threatens to block EU deal on Turkey talks", "The ins and outs: The EU's most effective foreign-policy instrument has been enlargement. 3. This will give Turkey a strong direct influence over EU policies. The latter, in particular, are concerned that unification would be frustrated and the European project threatened by Turkey's inclusion. Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots backed the 2004 Annan Plan for Cyprus aimed at the reunification of the island, but the plan was subsequently rejected by Greek Cypriots on the grounds that it did not meet their needs. Turkey gave women the right to vote in 1930 for municipal elections. [26] Turkey now has a larger population than Germany. "[147] In January 2008, Kerinçsiz was arrested for participating in an ultra-nationalist underground organisation, Ergenekon, allegedly behind the attacks on the Turkish Council of State and Cumhuriyet newspaper,[148] the assassination of several Christian missionaries and Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink,[149] as well as allegedly plotting the assassination of Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk.[150][151]. In 1993 Tansu Çiller became the first female Prime Minister of Turkey. EUR132 billion in sales in 2012. [128] Turkey would be the first and only Muslim-majority country to join or belong to the European Union. IZA Discussion Paper 8163, FEUTURE Online Paper No. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. Once the treaty is signed, however, the candidate becomes an acceding country. The divisions between Washington and Brussels have existed since long before Trump’s arrival in the White House. I want to say that Europe must give itself borders, that not all countries have a vocation to become members of Europe, beginning with Turkey which has no place inside the European Union. [5] The early 2016 refugee deal between Turkey and the European Union was intended to accelerate negotiations after previous stagnation and allow visa-free travel through Europe for Turks. Negotiations are opened on Chapter 12 - Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Policy. On the other hand, the country's largest city, Istanbul, lies mostly in Europe. Tausch, Arno and Almas Heshmati (2013). [143] After the case was dropped three months later, Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül indicated that Turkey may abandon or modify Article 301, stating that "there may be need for a new law". [134] However, in 2010, the prohibition of wearing headscarves in universities was lifted. [168] During an interview with Euractiv, EU Minister Egemen Bağış stated that: "This is what Europe needs to do; they need to say that when Turkey fulfills all requirements, Turkey will become a member of the EU on date X. Luxembourg Council declares Turkey eligible to become an EU member. Negotiations take place between ministers and ambassadors of the EU governments and the candidate country in what is called an intergovernmental conference. [98] Membership in the EU should also increase Turkey's prestige regionally and internationally. The state has no official religion nor promotes any, and actively monitors the area between the religions[clarify]. Negotiations are opened and closed on Chapter 25 - Science and Research. Positive Agenda intended to bring fresh dynamics into the EU-Turkey relations was launched. On the other hand, Cyprus, which is geographically located in Asia, joined the European Union in 2004. [155], Public opinion in EU countries generally opposes Turkish membership, though with varying degrees of intensity. [20] According to it, "the EU would open negotiations with Turkey 'without delay' if the European Council in December 2004, on the basis of a report and a recommendation from the Commission, decides that Turkey fulfills the Copenhagen political criteria. [146] According to the reform, it is now a crime to explicitly insult the "Turkish nation" rather than "Turkishness"; opening court cases based on Article 301 require the approval of the Justice Minister; and the maximum punishment has been reduced to two years in jail. Regional Policy & Coordination of Structural Instruments, 3. Opposition to Turkish accession is higher in countries such as Bulgaria and Germany which have a high population of Turkish diaspora or Muslims in Europe. Atatürk, President of Turkey, implemented a series of reforms, including secularisation and industrialisation, intended to "Europeanise" or Westernise the country.