16 Turkish accession to the European
Union
| (26011)
13244/04
COM(04) 656
+ADDs 1 and 2
| Turkey's progress towards EU accession
|
| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 6 October 2004
|
| Deposited in Parliament | 13 October 2004
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| Department | Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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| Basis of consideration | Minister's letter of 14 October 2005
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| Previous Committee Report | HC 42-xxxiv para 1 (27 October 2004); also see HC 34-v para 37 (12 October 2005)
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| Discussed in Council | 3 October 2005 General Affairs and External Relations Council
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important (document debated 07.12.04)
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Background
16.1 EU-Turkey relations also have a long history. In 1963 Turkey
and the EEC entered into an Association Agreement containing the
possibility of membership. In 1995, a customs union was formed
and, in Helsinki in December 1999, the European Council decided
that Turkey was a candidate for accession to the EU. The Copenhagen
European Council in December 2002 concluded that "if the
European Council in December 2004, on the basis of a report and
a recommendation from the Commission, decides that Turkey fulfils
the Copenhagen political criteria,[36]
the European Union will open accession negotiations with Turkey
without delay". These conclusions were reaffirmed by the
European Council in Brussels in June 2004.
16.2 A year ago, the Commission Communication recommending
the opening of accession negotiations was considered by our predecessors[37]
and subsequently debated in European Standing Committee C, prior
to the December European Council that decided, finally, that accession
EU negotiations should begin in October 2005.
The Minister's letter
16.3 The Minister writes to inform the Committee
following the decision on 3 October by the General Affairs and
External Relations Council to open accession negotiations with
the Republic of Turkey. He says:
"The opening of accession negotiations with
Turkey was a priority for the United Kingdom's Presidency of the
European Union. This was an historic decision, from which the
UK, EU and Turkey will benefit. It should strengthen the wide-ranging
reform programme already pushed through in recent years, and give
renewed impetus to further improvement to the rule of law, respect
for human rights and democratic institutions. By standing by our
promise to Turkey, we should make the European Union stronger,
safer and more competitive. The accession process also holds out
the clear prospect of a satisfactory resolution of various regional
issues, including disputes over rights in the Aegean and over
Cyprus.
"The Commission's framework for negotiations
with Turkey was also agreed on 3 October. This was in line with
frameworks previously agreed for other candidate countries, but
reflected the new requirements agreed at the December European
Council, including the potential for a suspension of negotiations
in the event of a "serious and persistent breach in Turkey
of the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights
and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law". Among other
areas covered, the framework highlights the importance of Turkey's
good neighbourly relations and a commitment to engage with Turkey
in an intensive political and civil society dialogue.
"Turkey, like all candidate countries, must
align its legislation with the European Union's. All sides accept
this will be a long process. The Commission will start the process
of screening the 35 chapters on 20 October. All phase 1 (didactic)
screening will be carried out with both Turkey and Croatia jointly.
Phase 2 (consultative) screening will be carried out with Turkey
and Croatia separately. The Presidency expects the first chapter
to be Science and Research. The Public Procurement and Competition
chapters will also be in the first wave of screening. The opening
of chapters is largely dependent on progress made by the Commission
during the screening process, but the Commission expects to produce
the first screening reports by early 2006.
"Separately from this process, we will organise
an Accession Conference
with both candidates, to allow them formally to agree to the external
arrangements for the accession process and to brief them on screening
plans. Additionally, the Commission will produce its annual report
on progress on 9 November. In keeping with current practice, the
Government will ensure progress reports are deposited for your
Committee's consideration".
Conclusion
16.4 When our predecessors considered the Commission
Communication and the Minister's Explanatory Memorandum a year
ago, which described and analysed clearly the commitment of all
concerned, the strides made and the obstacles yet to be overcome,
it also noted the Commission's own observation, that "all
this is an open-ended process whose outcome cannot be guaranteed".
The new requirements agreed at the December European Council,
including the potential for a suspension of negotiations in the
event of a "serious and persistent breach in Turkey of the
principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms and the rule of law", are of particular
relevance. In that regard, we look forward to the progress report
to which the Minister refers, which is likely to be but the first
of several over the coming years.
16.5 The decision taken on 3 October came at the
end of a long and, at times, heated Council meeting that itself
reflected the fact that some other Member States, and their citizens,
do not share the Government's and the House's enthusiasm for Turkish
membership. As will be clear from our consideration of the proposed
EU-Turkey Civil Society Dialogue on 12 October, we agree with
the importance attached to it in the framework for negotiations.[38]
16.6 The Commission Communication has already
been debated and cleared, but we draw the House's attention to
these subsequent developments.
36 "The Copenhagen criteria" state that:
"membership requires that the candidate country has achieved
stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of
law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities,
the existence of a functioning market economy as well as the capacity
to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the
Union. Membership presupposes the candidate's ability to take
on the obligations of membership including adherence to the aims
of political, economic and monetary union". They were adopted
by the Copenhagen European Council on 1 June 1993. Back
37
See headnote. Back
38
See headnote. Back
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