18 EU enlargement: Turkey
| (27007)
14216/05
COM(05) 559
| Draft Council Decision on the Principles, Priorities and Conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with Turkey
|
| Legal base | Council Regulation (EC) No 390/2001; QMV
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| Document originated | 9 November 2005
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| Deposited in Parliament | 18 November 2005
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| Department | Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 21 November 2005
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| To be discussed in Council | 12 December 2005 General Affairs and External Relations Council
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared
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Background
18.1 At its meeting in Copenhagen in December 2002, the European
Council strongly welcomed the important steps taken by Turkey
towards meeting the Copenhagen criteria,[30]
and identified a number of priority areas for further work. In
order to assist Turkey in its preparations towards EU membership,
the European Council decided that the accession strategy for Turkey
should be strengthened and invited the Commission to submit a
proposal for an Accession Partnership. This was first adopted
in 2001. In March 2003 the Commission presented a revised Accession
Partnership with Turkey, which was adopted by the Council.
18.2 In its recommendation of October 2004, the Commission
proposed, in view of guaranteeing the sustainability and the irreversibility
of the political reform process, the EU should continue to monitor
closely progress of the political reforms. In particular, the
Commission proposed the agreement of a revised Accession Partnership
in 2005.
The Council Decision
18.3 The Council Decision enacts the renewed Accession
Partnership, whose principles, priorities, intermediate objectives
and conditions are set out in the annex thereto, and provides
for it to be examined and monitored under the association agreement
and in annual reports to the Council by the Commission.
18.4 The renewed Accession Partnership lists short
(1-2 years) and medium term (3-4 years) priorities for Turkey's
preparations for further integration with the European Union.
Turkey is expected to respond by preparing a plan with a timetable
and specific measures detailing how they intend to address the
priorities. The main priorities relate to its capacity to meet
the Copenhagen criteria and the requirements of the negotiating
framework adopted by the Council on 3 October 2005.
18.5 Under Enhanced Political Dialogue and Political
Criteria, they cover:
- Democracy and the Rule
of Law (public administration, civil/military relations, judicial
system);
- Human Rights and the Protection Of Minorities
(observance of international human rights law; prevention of torture
and ill treatment; access to justice; freedom of expression, association
and peaceful assembly; freedom of religion; women's rights; trade
union rights; the situation in the east and south-east); and
- Regional Issues and International Obligations
- Cyprus; peaceful settlement of border disputes; implementation
of commitments under the Association Agreement and Customs union.
18.6 In addition, there is an extensive list of requirements
under The Ability To Assume The Obligations Of Membership.
The priorities concern both legislation and the implementation
thereof.
The Government's view
18.7 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 21 November
2005, the Minister of State for Europe in the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (Mr Douglas Alexander) says:
"The launch of accession negotiations on 3 October
was a historic day for Turkey and the EU, and should serve to
assist Turkey in carrying forward its impressive reform programme
of recent years. Accession negotiations have opened, but both
the EU and Turkey agree that the process is likely to take many
years. During this time, there are many issues on which Turkey
and the EU will need to work hard, but the onus will be on Turkey
to maintain its reforms aimed at alignment with EU standards.
"Looking forward, the Accession Partnership,
together with the European Commission's annual Regular Reports,
provides the tool to guide Turkey's next steps on reform. Advancement
in the negotiations will be measured against Turkey's progress
in addressing the priorities identified. Much remains to be done,
but the Government believes that the perspective of EU membership
has acted as a major impetus to reform in Turkey, and that, with
the launch of negotiations, institutional convergence towards
EU standards should continue."
18.8 He expects the Council Decision to be agreed
at the 12 December General Affairs and External Relations Council.
Conclusion
18.9 The House has endorsed Turkish membership
of the EU on a number of occasions. The requirements in the Accession
Partnership nonetheless indicate the depth and breadth of what
needs to be done before accession can become a reality. We look
forward to discussing them during our forthcoming visit to Ankara.
18.10 In the meantime, we now clear the document.
30 Stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy,
the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of
minorities; a functioning market economy, as well as the capacity
to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the
Union; the ability to take on the obligations of membership, including
adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.
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