WRITTEN QUESTION E-1546/00 by Jeffrey Titford (EDD) to the Commission. Turkey's human rights record and membership of the EU.
Date: 2000-05-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Türkiye, accession negotiations, international human rights law

C 72 E/74

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.3.2001

(2001/C 72 E/087)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1546/00

by Jeffrey Titford (EDD) to the Commission

(18 May 2000)

Subject: Turkey(cid:146)s human rights record and membership of the EU

I am concerned with the human rights record of the Turkish Government. In a recent report, I read that
Members of the European Parliament from across the political spectrum were disappointed at the lack of
progress made by Turkey in the fields of human rights, minority rights, and the rule of law(cid:146). Mr Morillon, a
French MEP, said in a recent debate that it was (cid:145)not clear whether Turkey would eventually be a member of
the EU or not (cid:133) Turkey would need profound changes in its government and attitude(cid:146).

Will the Commission please indicate the criteria regarding human rights, minority rights and the rule of
law for countries wishing to join the European Union?

Is Turkey(cid:146)s application being deferred because of its relatively poor human rights record?

Does the European Commission have concerns about the human rights record of any of the other twelve
applicant countries?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(15 June 2000)

The Heads of State and Government of the Union, meeting at the European Council in Copenhagen,
in June 1993, concluded that in order to join the Union it would be necessary to be able to assume the
obligations of membership by satisfying the economic and political conditions. The political conditions
(the so called political Copenhagen criteria) are that the candidate country must have achieved stability of
institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of
minorities. The Helsinki European Council added that (cid:145)compliance with the political criteria laid down at
the Copenhagen European Council is a prerequisite for the opening of accession negotiations (cid:133)(cid:146).

In the case of Turkey, the Commission examined its preparations for membership in its regular report
issued on 13 October 1999 (1) and did not consider that Turkey meets the political Copenhagen criteria. In
particular,
it said that (cid:145)there are serious shortcomings in terms of human rights and protection of
minorities(cid:146). There is no question of opening negotiations with Turkey until the political criteria are met.

As far as the other candidates are concerned, in the composite paper accompanying the 1999 regular
reports, the Commission concluded that (cid:145)with the very positive developments in Slovakia, and with the
exception of Turkey, the overall record of the candidate countries in relation to building stable and robust
democracies, respecting the rule of law, has improved. However, the treatment of minorities and the
Roma, and the situation of children in care in Romania continue to give rise to concern.(cid:146)

The Commission is closely following the situation on the specific issues singled out in the 1999 regular
reports, and will provide a detailed assessment of the human rights situation in all candidate countries in
its 2000 regular reports. These reports are currently under preparation and are
the framework of
scheduled to be adopted by the Commission in early November 2000.

(1) COM(1999) 513 and 514 final.