The integration of Turkey in the EU

Résumé du document

Turkey has been an official candidate at the Helsinki summit of the European Council since December 10, 1999, in order to obtain the membership in the European Union. Negotiations began on October 3, 2005, and are expected to continue for at least several years. During the same time, the debate on the legitimacy of this accession began. Indeed, to be a full-fledged member of the EU, a country has to fulfil many criteria as established by the European Council which are as follows:

-Stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for 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 EU;
-The ability to take on the obligations of membership including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.

With regard to the opposition to this entry, it was signalled by the EU that Turkey must remedy all its limitations before starting the negotiations.

Moreover, the EU membership could pose some challenges as well as opportunities in the foreign policy domain, because Europe has to be actively involved in this region, and it will imply that the EU might run a serious risk in involving new political and institutional problems. Moreover, it was also noticed that Turkey might become an additional responsibility.

Nevertheless, Turkey has an undeniable chance in accessingthe European Union, from a geopolitical and a geostrategic standpoint: its central location in Eurasia, its intermediary position between Occidental culture and Middle East, its traditional foreign policy are many advantages that are put forward by European analysts. Turkey is a real oriental guardian for European security.

On both sides, we must consider that if Turkey becomes a European member, this membership will add to the European Union and become a more important power at the regional and world-wide level. Turkey could be a stabilizing factor in this region and increase the role of the European Union.

Extraits

[...] Sources Web sites http://www.allaboutturkey.com/economy.htm [Acceded on 05/09/2007] http://www.csb.uncw.edu/people/galbraithc/EBD%20482%20Spring07%20Internatio nal%20Structure%20and%20Exporting%20Methods%20(short).ppt [Acceded on 05/09/2007] http://www.tusiad.us/Content/uploaded/TURKEY-FOREIGN-DIRECT-INVESTMENT- ATTRACTIVENESS.PDF [Acceded on 05/14/2007] http://siteresourcesqa.worldbank.org/INTTURKEY/Images/growth2005.html [Acceded on 05/14/2007] http://www.turkisheconomy.org.uk/economy/capitalaccounts.htm [Acceded on 05/14/2007] http://www.wikipedia.org [Several researches] http://www.answers.com [Several researches] http://www.oecd.org [Several researches] http://neweconomist.blogs.com/ [Several researches] http://www.unctad.org/ [Several researches] Books McDonald F. & Dearden S. (2003) “European economic integration”, FT Prentice Hall Karakas C. (2006) “Gradual Integration: An Attractive Alternative Integration Process for Turkey and the European Foreign Affairs Review , Khmer Law International. Hadjit A. & Moxon-Browne E. [...]

[...] In this context, it's hard for EU and its citizen to be trust in Turkey. The principal point which constitutes a hindrance to the entrance is the actual economic situation. Indeed, Turkey isn't in accordance at all with the European Union criteria in several sectors such as the rate of inflation, the GDP per capita, the trade balance is largely negative, aids for the development are still important Many factors which let think that Turkey isn't a well-developed economy and that we will have to wait many years to see the situation evolve. [...]

[...] The Army wanted as well to persuade him not to stand for any position close to the president. Indeed, they're all convinced that this government is a threat for the secularism. The night before the first round, the Army accused severely the conservative government, holding power since 2002, to not to defence the secular principle. The Army had already knocked over four governments in the last fifty years because they considered them as a threat for the secularism. So the 24th April the AKP appointed Abdullah Gül, close to Mr Erdogan, as candidate and changed the date of the date of the general elections. [...]

[...] This agreement persist the Turkish's opening economy without disruption. Since the 1st January 2001, Turkey applies the same customs duty as EU with third countries. This example shows the particularity of this kind of customs agreement. Turkey applies some measures which Turkish government is not involved. This customs agreement includes most of the goods and merchandises, except for agricultural goods. Concerning agriculture sector, most of European member are sceptical in the future of the CAP and its budget if Turkey integrate the UE. [...]

[...] The EU admitted it in 1987 but Turkey doesn't want to admit it. It's in question of about deaths and this subject is frequently addressed during the debates concerning the conformity of the Turkish politic with European values and its bond of the respect of the Human Rights. Turkey has also known problems with Cyprus where Turkey has under military control a large part of the North of the island and considers it as a self powered state. It's the only country which recognises it. [...]