Is the integration of Turkey a threat to European Union (especially to Germany)?

Résumé du document

In the past couple of years, different voices became louder calling for an integration of Turkey as a steady member into the European Union (EU). Many discussions and conferences have been held concerning this topic and the question of integration spreads across the whole EU. Some say that Turkey as part of the European geographic boarders should be part of the EU, while others see a religious problem in the integration. However, the question of whether to integrate Turkey into the European Union is omnipresent. Arguments for and against the integration of Turkey have to be closely researched and thoughtfully discussed, before a final decision can be taken. The European Union is an international organization comprising 27 European countries and being governed by common economic, social, and security policies. Originally confined to Western Europe, the EU has expanded to include several central and eastern European countries. The EU's members are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The EU was created by the Maastricht Treaty, which came into force on November 1, 1993. The treaty was designed to enhance European political and economic integration by creating a single currency (the Euro), a unified foreign and security policy, common citizenship rights, and by advancing cooperation in the areas of immigration, asylum, and judicial affairs.

Extraits

[...] Turkey may represent a threat to European identity, way of life, and values. It is possible to discern that historical and cultural notions of ‘otherness' that serve to distinguish the European' from the ‘non-European' also underlies the present attitude to Turkey. To Germany Employment In Germany, of the employees work in the industry production sector. It is a high rate in Europe (“average: .[11]. Therefore, if Turkey integrates the European Union, many immigrants will come to work there, because no qualifications are required for these jobs, and there is a wide offer available. [...]

[...] Turkey, however also had its inner-European conflicts especially with Greece, which went on for around 20 years after World War II. Especially on the island of Cyprus the crisis escalated in a very violent way several times, because both nations were living together in a very close environment Politics and Political parties On October 29th the Republic of Turkey was proclaimed and became the legal successor of the Ottoman Empire. The capital was set to be Ankara. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk became the republic's first president. [...]

[...] It has a population of around 71 million inhabitants. Its official language is Turkish and the official currency has been the New Turkish Lira since January 1st Cultural and historical background Turkey, more that twice bigger than Germany, is located at 97% in Asia and in Europe but has nevertheless a history linked with Europe. The Ottoman Empire which existed from 1299 to 1923 controlled much of Southern Europe. Immediately after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey became a democratic, secular, unitary, constitutional republic under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk which launched a wave of reforms. [...]

[...] To receive a positive recommendation, the country must meet the following criteria: - It must be a "European State". - It must respect the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law. To gain membership it must: Meet the following Copenhagen criteria established by the European Council in 1993: - 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. [...]

[...] Oskam Source : Le Parlement européen à Strasbourg byPierre-Francois Mourier and Architecture Studio Source: Religion, Society, And Modernity in Turkey (Modern Intellectual and Political History of the Middle East) by Serif Mardin; 2006 Source: EU and Turkey: challenges and opportunities in enlargement and foreign policy. Source: http://www.bundesregierung.de and http://www.insee.fr/fr/themes/tableau.asp?reg_id=98&ref_id=CMPTEF03136 Source: "Islam and Identity in Germany." Europe Report N°181 14 March 2007 Source: Statistisches Bundesamt Deutschland. "Foreign population by average-age and average duration of residence”. Source: haben keinen Kampf der Kulturen”, Zentralinstitut Islam- Archiv, cited in Daniel Sturm, Die Welt March 2006. [...]