Seeking Full Membership: A Yearly Review of Turkey-EU Relations

The Copenhagen Summit: The Lithmus Test for Turkish Candidacy, Fall 2002

Turkey has expressed its political will to become a member of the EU many times during this long and sometimes uncertain path. The Turkish parliament recently adopted a landmark legislation and demonstrated its political will and resolve to fulfill the copenhagen criteria and therefore become a member of the European union. This comprehensive reform package is of historic significance in its scope and content and has opened up new horizons for the Turkish republic. The package includes...

Serdar Ş. Güner & Dilan E. Koç | 05 December 2002

Internal Communication Strategy and its Implementation, Fall 2002

Information and public support gain special importance in the context of the integration process of East-Central European countries. These considerations led the governments of the candidate countries to such a conclusion that in addition to the "real processes" of the accession (fulfilment of the membership criteria, legal harmonisation, accession negotiations, etc,) there must also be a "communication process" i.e. a set of actions directed at the information and...

Peter Balazs | 05 December 2002

Turkey's Potential Contribution to the EU, Fall 2002

This article seeks to examine Turkey’s potential contribution to the EU in three broad areas: political/ security, economic, and social. Within the scope of political gains, it is argued that Turkey’s membership will enhance EU’s influence in the Middle East, Balkans and Caucasus as well as contributing to the diversification of its energy supplies and the strengthening of its justice and home-affairs policy. Economic gains are evaluated mainly with respect to market...

Meral Gezgin Eriş | 05 December 2002

Seeking Monetary Fixes for Real Troubles: Should Turkey Adopt the EU?, Fall 2002

The trilogy of high fiscal deficits, a weak currency and an open capital account lied at the heart of Turkey’s boom-bust cycles in the past decade. Now that the acute phase of the last crisis is over, and most of the dirty work related to one-off balance sheet adjustments associated with the sharp jump in the exchange rate has largely been worked out, one may be tempted to (re-) think through Turkey’s monetary options. it appears that Turkey has essentially two paths to follow going forward. ...

Murat Üçer | 05 December 2002

The European Parliament and the Accession of Turkey to the European Union, Fall 2002

With the signing of the accession partnership at the Nice Summit on 7 December 2000 the approximation process between Turkey and the EU reached a new phase. Turkey and its status is an important issue for many members of the European Parliament (EP). It should be kept in mind that the EP is an important forum in the debate of Turkey’s membership to the EU. Yet there are diverging views among the members of the EP on Turkey’s membership. The conservatives are rather sceptical...

Ozan Ceyhun | 05 December 2002

Human Rights Factor in Turkey-EU Relations, Fall 2002

On the eve of the EU Copenhagen Summit, human rights seem to be playing the key role in determining Turkey’s relationship with the European Union. One can argue that this issue only confirms a historical trend. Over the past 200 years of modernization, Europe has been the prime catalyst in Turkey's quest for democratization and human rights. However, although Turkey has moved closer to Europe in the last two decades, its record on human rights continued to pose a problem, mainly...

Füsun Türkmen | 05 December 2002

A Turkish View on the European Convention of the Future of the EU, Fall 2002

European Integration, which is, so far, a success story both in its achievements and its uniqueness as a political entity, stands at a historical turning point on the verge of the 21st century. The prospects of enlargement and further integration provide challenges as well as opportunities for the European Union. How those challenges are met and opportunities are taken advantage of will determine the future prospects of the European Integration, which is currently under discussion within the...

Sanem Baykal | 05 December 2002

The Day after Copenhagen: Is Turkey Ready for Accession Negotiations?, Fall 2002

It is safe to say that within the last two years, Turkey has taken significant steps towards alignment with the acquis. In addition to economic reforms, new legislation has been adopted in almost all areas. If and when a date is given for accession negotiations, they will be built upon the three rounds of sub-committee meetings. When we look into the previous enlargements and at the current accession negotiations, which have already taken four years, it is reasonable to say that a long process...

Selim Yenel | 05 December 2002

Turkey's Democratization and the European Union, Fall 2002

The 26 November 1983 elections which ended the military administration did not ensure the swift return to democracy. Those who gained the right to rule the country after 26 November and the following general elections didn’t engage in the path of democratization. To them, ruling the country within the legal order of the 12th September Constitution was much easier.In spite of this situation, the opposition initiated by intellectuals and lawmakers gradually increased the demand for...

Zafer Uskul | 05 December 2002

Turkey's Relations with the European Union, Fall 2002

In October 1999 the European Commission recommended that Turkey should be considered a candidate country for EU membership, but without opening negotiations at that stage. The announcement of Turkey's candidacy resonated differently on the two sides of the Atlantic. The leading American newspapers and the American government supported Turkey's aim strongly, as an assurance that the strategically located Turkey would be fully integrated into the democratic west. Contrarily, the...

Bahri Yılmaz | 05 December 2002

Integrationist Approach to Security and the New Securıty Role of the European Union, Fall 2002

The end of cold war influenced the security environment of Europe. Today the concept of security is defined wider than before and as such an important debate is now under way in international security theories. Integrationist approach to security versus neorealism is constituting the core of this debate. With a wider definition of security European Union’s role has also an increasing importance. Yet, the EU is actually at the point of crucial choice between an ‘integrationist approach to...

Cinar Ozen | 05 December 2002

Seeking Full Membership: A Yearly Review of Turkey-EU RelationsVol. 1 No. 3 - Fall 2002

Seeking Full Membership: A Yearly Review of Turkey-EU Relations
Vol. 1 No. 3 - Fall 2002