EP's Foreign Affairs Committee Adopts Report On Turkey's Progress

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

07 September 2006

The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee stated this week that it remains firmly committed to accession as the goal of EU negotiations with Turkey, but observed that both in Turkey and in the EU important reforms are needed in order to achieve this outcome.

In a report adopted on Monday, the Committee welcomed the start of the accession negotiations with Turkey, but expressed regret that the reform process in Turkey has slowed down. The text will be debated by the whole Parliament during the plenary session of 25-28 September.

The report, prepared by Camiel Eurlings and adopted by 53 votes in favour to 6 against with 8 abstentions, noted "persistent shortcomings" in areas such as freedom of expression, religious and minority rights, the role of the military, policing, women's rights, trade union rights and cultural rights. It urged Turkey to "reinvigorate" the reform process.

MEPs also urged Turkey "to take concrete steps for the normalisation of bilateral relations" with Cyprus "as soon as possible".

They pointed to the Council declaration of 21 September 2005, which said that continuing negotiations would depend on Turkey opening its borders to Cypriot vessels and airplanes and that the situation would be reviewed in 2006.

MEPs went on to stress that negotiations do not lead automatically to accession, but stated that whether or not negotiations are successfully concluded, Turkey must remain "fully anchored in European structures".

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