European Commission Puts Forward Turkey Accession Recommendations
by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels
01 December 2006
Following the recent announcement by the Finnish EU Presidency that diplomatic
efforts to ensure that Turkey meets its obligations under the Ankara Protocol
have not borne fruit, the European Commission on Wednesday put forward its recommendations
on the continuation of Turkey’s accession negotiations.
The Commission's recommendations were as follows:
- The Commission noted that Turkey has not fully implemented the Additional
Protocol to the Ankara Agreement, and that restrictions to the free movement
of goods, including restrictions on means of transport, remain in force.
- In these circumstances and with reference to the declaration of 21 September
2005 of the European Community and its Members States, the Commission recommended
that the Intergovernmental Conference on Accession with Turkey should not
open negotiations on chapters covering policy areas relevant to Turkey's restrictions
as regards the Republic of Cyprus until the Commission confirms that Turkey
has fulfilled its commitments. These chapters are: Chapter 1- free movement
of goods, Chapter 3- Right of establishment and freedom to provide services,
Chapter 9- Financial services, Chapter 11- agriculture and rural development,
Chapter 13- fisheries, Chapter 14- transport policy, Chapter 29- customs union,
and Chapter 30- external relations .
- Moreover, the Commission recommended that no chapter be provisionally closed
until the Commission has confirmed that Turkey has fully implemented its commitments
with respect to the Additional Protocol.
- The Commission will inform the Council on any progress on the issues covered
by the declaration of 21 September 2005 in its annual progress reports.
- Given the progress achieved, work should now focus on completing the screening
process. Such chapters for which the technical preparations have been completed
should continue to be opened, in line with the Negotiating Framework.
- The Commission underlined the importance of the resumption of a process
leading rapidly to fully-fledged negotiations in 2007 under UN auspices on
a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue.
“There is a unanimous decision by the Member States to conduct accession
negotiations with Turkey. These negotiations need to be credible. Turkey has
undoubtedly made progress. But it has still not implemented all obligations
it has agreed to. The Commission’s recommendation is both clear and measured.
The overall progress of negotiations depends on the overall progress of the
respect of the obligations agreed to," announced Commission President José
Manuel Barroso.
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn added:
“Europe needs a stable, democratic and increasingly prosperous Turkey.
This is why we started accession negotiations a year ago. In the light of the
strategic importance of EU-Turkey relations today we confirm that these negotiations
continue, although with a slower pace. We will be able to return to normal speed
as soon as Turkey has fulfilled its obligations related to the Ankara Protocol.”
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