WRITTEN QUESTION E-0300/98 by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Council (17 February 1998)

Subject: Clarification of the situation as regards Turkey's accession to the EU

1. Can the Council President guarantee that Turkey's accession to the EU will not be made subordinate to the Cyprus issue and that mutual relations between the EU and Turkey will not be dependent on that issue?

2. Is the Council President prepared to do his utmost to ensure that the financial embargo on Turkey, which is preventing that country from receiving the European Union funds allocated to it, is lifted?

3. Is the Council President prepared to spell out to Turkey what its chances are of becoming a full Member State of the European Union, provided that that country demonstrates its willingness to comply with the criteria laid down for its accession?

4. Is the Council President aware that Turkey's application for accession should be treated on the basis of the same criteria as those applied to other countries wishing to accede to the European Union, with particular regard to fact that some applicant countries are in breach of the criteria laid down in respect of the conditions in prisons and the treatment of suspects held in custody, as well as those laid down with regard to respect for human rights and respect for the rule of law which apply in the Member States of the EU?

Answer (18 May 1998)

The European Union's approach towards Turkey was established by the European Council at its meeting in Luxembourg on 12 and 13 December 1997. At that meeting the European Council confirmed Turkey's eligibility for accession to the European Union. Turkey would be judged on the same criteria as the other applicant States. Turkey's participation in the European Conference would enable the Member States of the European Union and Turkey to step up their dialogue and cooperation in areas of common interest. The Council hopes that Turkey will reconsider its decision not to take part in the European Conference, the opening session of which was held on 12 March 1998, and is making every effort to that end.

The European Council said that strengthening Turkey's links with the European Union also depended on that country's pursuit of the political and economic reforms on which it had embarked, including the alignment of human rights standards and practices on those in force in the European Union; respect for and protection of minorities; the establishment of satisfactory and stable relations between Greece and Turkey; on the settlement of disputes, in particular by legal process, including the International Court of Justice; and support for negotiations under the aegis of the UN on a political settlement in Cyprus on the basis of the relevant Security Council Resolutions.

The European Council took the view that it was important for a strategy to be drawn up to prepare Turkey for accession by bringing it closer to the European Union in every field. This strategy should consist in the development of the possibilities afforded by the Ankara Agreement, intensification of the Customs Union, implementation of financial cooperation, approximation of laws and adoption of the Union 'acquis', and participation, to be decided case by case, in certain programmes and in certain agencies by analogy with the arrangements for the other applicant countries. The strategy was to be reviewed by the Association Council * in particular on the basis of Article 28 of the Association Agreement * in the light of the Copenhagen criteria and the Council's position of 29 April 1997. On the subject of financial cooperation, the Presidency is making every effort to unblock the Financial Regulation for Turkey and to facilitate full implementation of the bilateral indicative programme for Turkey in the framework of MEDA.