Monday

25th Sep 2023

Turkey and EU restart membership talks

  • Bagis (l) said 'this is only the beginning' (Photo: ec.europa.eu)

Turkey and the EU have restarted accession talks three and a half years after their last meeting and five months after Turkey's crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Istanbul.

The talks resumed in Brussels on Tuesday (5 November) with the opening of a "chapter" on regional policy.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The Turkish negotiator, Egemen Bagis, said "it felt good." But he added: "We have a saying in Turkey: 'You can't have spring with only one flower' and this is only the beginning."

EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele said three more chapters - on public procurement, competition and social policy - could soon follow.

But despite the upbeat mood, the talks remain hobbled by vetoes.

Out of the 35 chapters in the EU rulebook, Cyprus, which remains locked in a frozen conflict with Turkey, is blocking the opening of six.

The European Commission is blocking eight because of Turkey's trade ban on Cyprus and France is blocking another four.

For his part, Bagis noted that French President Francois Hollande is expected to visit Turkey in the near future.

"We hope he will announce the unblocking of the remaining four chapters as well," he said.

He added the UN is working on a new Cyprus conflict resolution deal, which could be put to a vote by Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots next year.

Fuele said the commission is ready to lift its eight-chapter veto if Turkey opens its airports and sea ports to Cypriot vessels.

Amid EU criticism of Turkey's crackdown on the Istanbul demonstrators and on Turkey's lack of press freedom, Fuele said he is trying to get Cyprus to lift its veto on chapters 22 and 23, which cover EU values, even if there is no UN breakthrough.

"I do hope we will be able to find a consensus ... on this issue," he said.

In terms of broader relations, the two sides indicated they are close to starting talks on EU visa-free travel.

Fuele said his fellow commissioner, home affairs chief Cecilia Malmstrom, is ready to go to Ankara "at any moment" to launch the process if Turkey agrees to sign a "readmission agreement" on taking back irregular migrants.

Meanwhile, Bagis noted that Turkish people are annoyed by EU foreign policy on Egypt and Syria.

He said Turks feel the West has given Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a free hand to "kill [his] own people … so long as [he] does not use chemical weapons."

He added that Turks want to know "how come [EU countries] are not raising their voices strongly when an elected President [Egypt's Mohammed Morsi] is in prison and the dictator of the last four decades [former president Hosni Mubarak] is freed by a military junta?"

"It is unfortunately creating a negative image via-a-vis the EU in Turkey," he said.

EU urges Turkey to change internet law

Turkey's crackdown on the internet raises "serious concerns" and "needs to be revised in line with European standards," the EU commission has said.

EU’s €500m gender violence plan falls short, say auditors

The 'Spotlight Initiative' was launched in 2017 with a budget of €500 million to end all forms of violence or harmful practices against women and girls in partner countries, but so far it has had "little impact", say EU auditors.

Latest News

  1. EU trade chief in Beijing warns China of only 'two paths' forward
  2. Why should taxpayers pay for private fishing fleets in third countries?
  3. Women at risk from shoddy EU laws on domestic workers
  4. EU poised to agree on weakened emission rules
  5. China trade tension and migration deal This WEEK
  6. Europe's energy strategy: A tale of competing priorities
  7. Why Greek state workers are protesting new labour law
  8. Gloves off, as Polish ruling party fights for power

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators, industry & healthcare experts at the 24th IMDRF session, September 25-26, Berlin. Register by 20 Sept to join in person or online.
  2. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  3. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  4. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators & industry experts at the 24th IMDRF session- Berlin September 25-26. Register early for discounted hotel rates
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
  6. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us