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Turkey & EU
In December 1999, Turkey became the European Union’s
(EU) first candidate for full membership with a predominantly
Muslim population.
For the first time, Turkey participated as a full member
candidate at the EU summit in Nice in December 2000.
Straddling Europe and Asia, Turks have always attached
great importance to relations with Europe. Turkey began
“westernizing” its economic, political and social
structures in the 19th century. Following the First World
War and the establishment of the Republic in 1923, Western
Europe was the model for its new secular democracy.
As a founding member of the United Nations as well as the
OECD, a member of NATO and the Council of Europe, and an
associate member of the Western European Union, Turkey’s
vital role in the defense of Europe is undeniable.
To extend this role into the economic realm, Turkey applied
for full membership of the European Economic Community (EEC)
in 1959, less than a year after the organization was established.
This application resulted in the 1963 Association Agreement
envisaging Turkey’s gradual integration and eventual
full membership into the EEC. Turkey then became the longest
standing associate member of the EU, the EEC’s successor.
In 1987, Turkey applied for full membership to the EU on
a direct track, different from the process outlined in the
Association Agreement. The EU did not give a definitive
response to this application, citing internal reforms, which
it was undertaking at the time.
Meanwhile, the Turkey-EU relations developed and a Customs
Union, which had been foreseen as the final step before
Turkey’s full membership, was completed in 1995.
After the fundamental transformations in Europe brought
about by the fall of the Communist bloc, the EU embarked
on a new enlargement process toward Central and Eastern
Europe. Turkey immediately indicated its keen interest to
be included in this enlargement process, but was omitted
from a list of eleven candidates in 1997. Instead, the Czech
Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and “Cyprus”
became candidates. This situation, to which Turkey protested
strongly, has been remedied with the EU’s decision
last December to make Turkey a candidate for membership.
The United States strongly endorsed EU membership for Turkey,
and lobbied intensely in this effort. Already a member of
the EU, Greece dropped its objection, providing the required
unanimous approval.
A stable, flourishing Turkey benefits Europe and the U.S.
as well as Turkey. Turkey’s EU candidacy will pave
the way for a series of additional changes, economic and
political as Turkey strives to align its economy and laws
with those of the EU.
January 2001
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