Proposal for a Council Decision on the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with the Republic of Turkey
Date: 2000-11-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Türkiye, accession to the European Union, financial cooperation, human rights, political cooperation

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 8.11.2000
COM(2000) 714 final

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the
Accession Partnership with the Republic of Turkey

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

The European Council which met in Helsinki on 10 and 11 December 1999 largely endorsed
the Commission’s Regular Report on Turkey as well as its recommendations of the composite
paper (Reports on progress towards accession by each of the candidate countries). In
particular the Helsinki conclusions stated that:

"Turkey is a candidate State destined to join the Union on the basis of the same criteria as
applied to the other candidates;

building on the existing European strategy, Turkey (…) will benefit from a pre-accession
strategy (…). This will include enhanced political dialogue, with emphasis on progressing
towards fulfilling the political criteria for accession with particular reference to the issue of
human rights" as well as border disputes and Cyprus;

"Turkey will also have the opportunity to participate in Community programmes and agencies
and in meetings between candidate States and the Union in the context of the accession
process;" (…)

A process of analytical examination of the acquis will be prepared by the Commission, inter
alia via sub-committees established under the Association Agreement.

A single framework for co-ordinating all sources of EU financial assistance for pre-accession
has been adopted by the Commission on 26 July 2000. This proposal from the Commission
(COM(2000)502 final) establishes the legal base to draw up an Accession partnership for
Turkey and defines a single framework for co-ordinating all sources of EU financial
assistance to Turkey for pre-accession. It is still under consideration by the other Institutions
(legal base art. 308 TEU).

The Accession Partnership (AP) identifies short and medium term priorities, intermediate
objectives and conditions on which accession preparations must concentrate in the light of the
political and economic criteria and the obligations of a Member State to adopt, to implement
and enforce the Community acquis. Equally, appropriate monitoring mechanisms will be
established. For that purpose, in total eight subcommittees under the Association Committee
have been created.

The Accession Partnership is the centrepiece of the pre-accession strategy. The present
proposal is the first Accession Partnership for Turkey and is part of the Commission's overall
evaluation for 2000 regarding the progress candidate countries towards EU membership. It is
drawn on the analysis of the Regular Report 2000 for Turkey. The same approach is followed
as for all other candidate countries. It contains short term and medium term priorities and
intermediate objectives identified for Turkey. It is expected that Turkey on the basis of this
Accession Partnership adopts before the end of the year a National Programme for the
Adoption of the Acquis. Future financial co-operation with Turkey will be based on the
priorities of the Accession Partnership.

The attached draft decision does not have any financial implications.

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Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the
Accession Partnership with the Republic of Turkey

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No … 2000 of on assistance to Turkey in the
framework of the pre-accession strategy and in particular on the establishment of an
Accession Partnership, and in particular to Article 2 thereof1

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

The Helsinki European Council stated: “Turkey is a candidate State destined to join
the Union on the basis of the same criteria as applied to the other candidate States.
Building on the existing European strategy, Turkey, like other candidate States, will
benefit from a pre-accession strategy to stimulate and support its reforms.” As a key
feature of such a strategy an Accession Partnership will be drawn up on the basis of
previous European Council conclusions;

Regulation (EC) No …/2000 provides that the Council is to decide, by a qualified
majority and following a proposal from the Commission, on the principles, priorities,
intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the individual Accession
Partnership, as it will be submitted to Turkey, as well as on subsequent significant
adjustments applicable to it;

Community assistance is conditional on the fulfilment of essential elements, and in
particular on progress towards fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteria. Where an
essential element is lacking, the Council, acting by a qualified majority on a proposal
from the Commission, may take appropriate steps with regard to any pre-accession
assistance;

The EC-Turkey Association Council decided that the implementation of the Accession
Partnership for Turkey will be monitored by the Association Agreement bodies as
appropriate;

The Commission’s 2000 regular report presented an objective analysis on Turkey’s
preparations for membership and identified a number of priority areas for further
work;

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

1 OJ

3

(6)

In order to prepare for membership, Turkey should prepare a national programme for
the adoption of the acquis. This programme should set out a timetable for achieving
the priorities and intermediate objectives established in the Accession Partnership;

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :

Article 1

In accordance with Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No …. 2000 the principles, priorities,
intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership for Turkey are
set out in the Annex hereto, which forms an integral part of this Decision.

Article 2

The implementation of the Accession Partnership shall be monitored in the Association
Agreement bodies as appropriate and through the competent Council bodies to which the
Commission shall report regularly.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on the third day following its publication in the Official
Journal of the European Communities.

Done at Brussels,

For the Council
The President

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ANNEX

TURKEY: 2000 ACCESSION PARTNERSHIP

1.

INTRODUCTION

The European Council
(10-11 December 1999) welcomed the positive
developments in Turkey as well its intention to continue its reform towards complying with
the Copenhagen criteria. Turkey is a candidate country to join the Union on the basis of the
same criteria as applied to the other candidate countries.

in Helsinki

At its meeting in Helsinki, the European Council decided that an Accession Partnership will
be drawn up “on the basis of previous European Council conclusions”. It shall contain
priorities on which accession preparations must concentrate in the light of the political and
economic criteria and the obligations of a Member State combined with a National
Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis.

At its meeting in Luxembourg in December 1997, the European Council had decided that the
Accession Partnership would be the key feature of the enhanced pre-accession strategy,
mobilising all forms of assistance to the candidate countries within a single framework. In this
manner, the EU targets its assistance towards the specific needs of each candidate so as to
provide support for overcoming particular problems in view of accession.

In full compliance with this approach, the Commission proposed on 26 July 2000 a regulation
for the establishment of a single framework for co-ordinating all sources of EU financial
assistance to Turkey for pre-accession and in particular on the establishment of an Accession
Partnership. This framework regulation for Turkey is modelled on the regulation for the ten
Central and Eastern European candidate countries. (Council Regulation 622/98; OJ L85, 20.3.
1998, p.1).

The first Accession Partnership will be provided for in a Council Regulation on the
establishment of an Accession Partnership for Turkey . This Accession Partnership is
proposed by the Commission, after consulting Turkey and on the basis of the principles,
priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions decided by the Council. It takes into account
the analysis in the 2000 Regular Report of the progress made by Turkey towards membership.

2.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the Accession Partnership is to set out in a single framework the priority areas
for further work identified in the Commission's 2000 Regular Report on the progress made by
Turkey towards membership of the European Union, the financial means available to help
Turkey implement these priorities and the conditions which will apply to that assistance. This
Accession Partnership provides the basis for a number of policy instruments, which will be
used to help the candidate States in their preparations for membership. It is expected that
Turkey on the basis of this Accession Partnership adopts before the end of the year a National
Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis. This is not an integral part of this Partnership but
the priorities they contain should be compatible with it.

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3.

PRINCIPLES

The main priority areas identified for each candidate State relate to its ability to take on the
obligations of meeting the Copenhagen criteria which state that membership requires:

– that the candidate State has achieved 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;

– the ability to take on the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of

political, economic and monetary union;

At its meeting in Madrid, the European Council stressed the need for the candidate States to
adjust their administrative structures to ensure the harmonious operation of Community
policies after accession. At Luxembourg, it stressed that incorporation of the acquis into
legislation is necessary, but not in itself sufficient; it is necessary to ensure that it is actually
applied.

At its meeting in Helsinki the European Council has reaffirmed the inclusive nature of the
accession process comprising 13 candidate States within a single framework. The candidate
States are participating in the accession process on an equal footing. The European Council
stated that they must share the values and objectives of the European Union as set out in the
Treaties. In this respect the European Council stressed the principle of peaceful settlement of
disputes in accordance with the United Nations Charter and urged candidate States to make
every effort to resolve any outstanding border disputes and other related issues. Failing this
they should within a reasonable time bring the dispute to the International Court of Justice.

The European Council also concluded that
it will review the situation relating to any
outstanding disputes, in particular concerning the repercussions on the accession process and
in order to promote their settlement through the International Court of Justice, at the latest by
the end of 2004.

Furthermore, the European Council emphasised that Turkey will benefit from a pre-accession
strategy to stimulate and support its reforms including an enhanced political dialogue, with
emphasis on progressing towards fulfilling the political criteria for accession with particular
reference to human rights, as well as the issues referred to in paragraphs 4 and 9(a) of the
Helsinki conclusions; in this spirit, the European Union encourages Turkey, together with all
parties, to continue to support the UN Secretary General’s efforts to bring the process, aiming
at a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, to a successful conclusion.

4.

PRIORITIES AND INTERMEDIATE OBJECTIVES

The Commission's Regular Reports have highlighted the extent of the efforts which still have
to be made in certain areas by the candidate States to prepare for accession. This situation
requires the definition of intermediate stages in terms of priorities, each to be accompanied by
precise objectives to be set in collaboration with the States concerned, the achievement of
which will condition the degree of assistance granted and the progress of the negotiations
under way with some countries and the opening of new negotiations with the others. The
priorities and intermediate objectives in the Accession Partnership are divided into two groups
-short and medium term. Those listed under the short term have been selected on the basis

6

that it is realistic to expect that Turkey can complete or take them substantially forward by the
end of 2001. The priorities listed under the medium term are expected to take more than one
year to complete although work should, wherever possible, also begin on them during 2001.

the

commitments of

that Turkey fulfils

The Accession Partnership indicates the priority areas for Turkey's membership preparations.
Turkey will nevertheless have to address all issues identified in the Regular Report. It is also
approximation and
important
implementation of the acquis in accordance with the commitments made under
the
Association Agreement, Customs Union and related decisions of the EC-Turkey Association
Council for example on the trade regime for agricultural products. It should be recalled that
incorporation of the acquis into legislation is not in itself sufficient; it will also be necessary
to ensure that it is actually applied to the same standards as those, which apply within the
In all of the areas listed below there is a need for credible and effective
Union.
implementation and enforcement of the acquis.

legislative

Drawing on the analysis of the Commission's Regular Report, the following short and
medium term priorities and intermediate objectives have been identified for Turkey here
below :

4.1.

Short-term (2001)

Political criteria

– Strengthen legal and constitutional guarantees for the right to freedom of expression in line
with article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights. Address in that context the
situation of those persons in prison sentenced for expressing non- violent opinions.

– Strengthen legal and constitutional guarantees of the right to freedom of association and

and peaceful assembly and encourage development of civil society.

– Strengthen legal provisions and undertake all necessary measures to reinforce fight against
torture practices, and ensure compliance with the European Convention for the Prevention
of Torture.

– Further align legal procedures concerning pre-trial detention with the provisions of the
European Convention on Human Rights and with recommendations of the Committee for
the Prevention of Torture.

– Strengthen opportunities for legal redress against all violations of human rights.

– Intensify training on human rights issues for law enforcement officials in mutual co-

operation with individual countries and international organisations.

– Improve functioning and efficiency of the judiciary, including the state security court in
judges and

line with international standards. Strengthen in particular
prosecutors on European Union legislation, including in the field of human rights.

training of

– Maintain de facto moratorium on capital punishment.

– Remove any legal provisions forbidding the use by Turkish citizens of their mother tongue

in TV/radio broadcasting.

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– Develop a comprehensive approach to reduce regional disparities, and in particular to
improve the situation in the South-East, with a view to enhancing economic, social and
cultural opportunities for all citizens.

– Support strongly in the context of the political dialogue the UN Secretary General's efforts
to bring the process of finding a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem to a
successful conclusion.

Economic criteria

– ensure the implementation of the current dis-inflation and structural reform programme
agreed with the IMF and the World Bank, in particular, ensure the control of public
expenditure.

– proceed to the swift implementation of the financial sector reform, aiming at guaranteeing

transparency and surveillance.

– prepare a pre-accession fiscal surveillance procedure consisting of an annual notification of
fiscal positions,
in line with EU procedures and the presentation of a Pre-accession
Economic Programme (PEP). The PEP aims at preparing the country for accession through
a comprehensive economic programme.

– proceed with agricultural reforms

– continue the privatisation of state owned entities, taking into account the social component.

Internal market

– Intellectual and industrial property rights: continue alignment of intellectual property

legislation and strengthen fight against piracy.

– Free movement of goods: accelerate alignment of European standards, certification and
conformity assessment and marking; start to reinforce existing market surveillance and
conformity assessment structures with equipment and training; speed up work relating to
specific sectors (foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics,
textiles) and the framework
legislation transposing New and Global Approach principles and create compatible
administrative infrastructure; remove technical barriers to trade.

– Competition : adapt legislation designating the responsibility of state aid control in order to

provide the basis for transparency and regular state aid monitoring

– Public procurement: start alignment with the Community acquis, in particular by making

the procurement system more transparent and accountable.

Taxation

– start the alignment of excise duties and VAT, in particular with respect of rates, scope of
exempt transactions, taxable scope and the tax structure; ensure that new tax measures
comply with the principles of the Code of Conduct for Business Taxation and eliminate
any discriminatory measures.

Agriculture

8

– develop a functioning land register, animal identification systems, plant passport systems
and the improvement of administrative structures in order to monitor the agricultural
markets and implement environmental, structural and rural development measures.

– establish an appropriate alignment strategy for veterinary and plant health Community
legislation with first priority the harmonisation of legislation to combat animal and plant
diseases and upgrade enforcement capacity, in particular of laboratory testing, inspection
arrangements and establishments.

Fisheries

– establish administrative structures to monitor the exploitation of fisheries resources, market
and structural development through a resource management policy, inspection and control
measures and improvement of the fishing fleet register.

Transport

– adopt a programme for transposition of the transport acquis.

– start aligning legislation on maritime safety standards; implement and enforce safety

standards.

– adopt an action plan for maritime transport on monitoring classification societies and

improving the performance of the Turkish flag register.

– start strengthening maritime administration, particularly that of flag state control.

Statistics

– adopt a strategy for the further development of statistics, in particular demographic and
trade and agricultural

social statistics, regional statistics, business statistics, external
statistics.

– bring the business register up to EU standards.

Employment and Social Affairs

– adopt a strategy and a detailed programme for the alignment of the acquis.

– further strengthen efforts to tackle the problem of child labour.

– ensure that the conditions are in place for an active and autonomous social dialogue, inter
trade union rights are respected and by abolishing restrictive

alia by ensuring that
provisions on trade union activities.

– support social partners’ capacity-building efforts to develop and implement the acquis.

Energy

– put in place a programme for the adoption of the EU energy acquis.

– establish an independent regulatory authority for the electricity and gas sectors; grant the

authority and the means to carry out its tasks effectively.

9

– prepare for the establishment of the internal energy market , notably the electricity and gas

directives, and the opening up of the markets.

Telecommunications

– align with the EU acquis in areas of licensing, interconnection and universal service;

further refine liberalisation needs.

– strengthen the capacity building of the independent regulatory authority i.e. reinforce its

ability to implement regulations.

Regional policy and co-ordination of structural instruments

– prepare a NUTs classification in accordance with Community rules.

– adopt a strategy for the development of an effective regional policy.

– start introducing regional policy criteria in the selection of projects in Turkey’s planning

process.

Culture and Audio-visual Policy

– start alignment of legislation in the field of audio-visual policy, in particular with regard to

the Television without Frontier Directive.

Environment

– adopt a detailed directive-specific transposition programme of the acquis,

– transpose the Environmental Impact Assessment directive.

– develop a plan for financing investments (directive specific), based on estimations of costs

of alignment and realistic sources of public and private finance year-by-year.

Justice and home affairs

– develop information and awareness programmes on the legislation and practices in the

European Union in the field of JHA.

– enhance the fight against organised crime, drugs trafficking and corruption and strengthen

capacities to deal with money laundering.

Customs

– continue aligning of legislation on free zones and ensure enforcement of the new Customs

Code and its implementing provisions.

Reinforcement of administrative and judicial capacity

– improve the capacity of public administration to adopt, to implement and to manage the
acquis in particular through training and appropriate co-ordination between ministries,
including the development of effective border control to prevent illegal immigration and
illegal trafficking in human beings and drugs..

10

– accelerate the modernisation of public administration including strengthening the relevant

administrative institutions;

– strengthen the financial control functions, improve the efficiency of the customs and
modernise the tax administration and increase the anti-fraud capacity; reinforce veterinary
and phytosanitary controls also at borders,
restructure and upgrade food control
administration, improve operation of the judicial system and further promote training for
the judiciary in Community law and its application.

– adopt the legal, administrative and budgetary framework (audit manual and audit trail) for

programme management

4.2.

Medium-term

Political criteria

– Guarantee full enjoyment by all individuals without any discrimination and irrespective of
their language, race, colour, sex, political opinion, philosophical belief or religion of all
human rights and fundamental freedoms. Further develop conditions for the enjoyment of
freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

– Review of the Turkish Constitution and other relevant

legislation with a view to
guaranteeing rights and freedoms of all Turkish citizens as set forth in the European
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights; ensure the implementation of such legal
reforms and conformity with practices in EU Member States.

– Abolish death penalty, sign and ratify Protocol N° 6 of the European Convention of

Human Rights.

– Ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its optional protocol

and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

– Adjust detention conditions in prisons to bring them in accordance with the UN Standard

Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and other international norms.

– Align the constitutional role of the National Security Council as an advisory body to the

government in accordance with the practice of EU member states.

– Lift the remaining state of emergency in the South-East.

– Ensure cultural diversity and guarantee cultural rights for all citizens irrespective of their
origin. Any legal provisions preventing the enjoyment of these rights should be abolished,
including in the field of education.

Economic criteria

– complete the process of privatisation.

– complete the reform of the agricultural and financial sector.

– ensure the sustainability of the pension and the social security system.

– ensure the improvement of the general level of education and health, paying particular

attention to the younger generation and dis-advantaged regions.

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Internal market

– Free movement of goods: complete alignment with the EU acquis; complete alignment of
European standards; complete strengthening of existing certification, market surveillance
and conformity assessment structures.

– Company law: complete alignment with the EU acquis.

– Data protection: complete alignment and implement legislation.

– Free movement of capital: complete alignment in particular by removing restrictions for

foreign investors.

– Competition: complete alignment with EU acquis concerning state aids including regional
aid schemes and align legislation concerning monopolies and companies benefiting from
special rights.

– Public procurement : complete alignment with the Community acquis; ensure effective

implementation and enforcement.

Taxation

– complete alignment of national legislation with the EU acquis.

Agriculture

– complete preparations for the acquis in agricultural and rural development policies.

– modernise food processing establishments (meat, dairy processing plants) to meet EU
hygiene and public health standards and further establishment of testing and diagnostic
facilities.

Fisheries

– complete the development of the capacity to implement and enforce the common fisheries

policy.

– continue to improve the overall quality standards and safety of fishery products in Turkey.

Transport

– complete alignment on road transport legislation (market access, road safety, rules for
dangerous goods and taxation), railways, air transport (particularly air safety and air traffic
management) and inland waterways (technical requirements for vessels).

– ensure effective implementation and enforcement of transport legislation, particularly that

of maritime safety.

– prepare the Turkish transport fleet (particularly maritime and road transport) for the

technical norms that will allow a complete integration into the Internal Market

Economic and Monetary Union

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– modify the law on the Central Bank in order to allow participation in the European System

of Central Banks (ESCB).

– complete the independence of the Central Bank from the government.

Statistics

– adopt EU compatible statistical methodologies and practices, in particular as regards GDP
estimation, harmonised consumer price indexes, short-term indicators, social statistics,
business register and balance of payments.

– align macro-economic statistics further with the statistical acquis.

– ensure adequate training of staff and improve the administrative capacity.

Employment and social affairs

– remove remaining forms of discrimination against women and all forms of discrimination
on the grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual
orientation

– transpose EU legislation in the fields of labour law, equality of treatment between women
and men, occupational health and safety and public health, reinforce related administrative
structures and those required for the co-ordination of social security.

– ensure effective implementation and enforcement of the social policy and employment

acquis.

– prepare a national employment strategy; with a view to later participation in the European
Employment Strategy including through the launch of a joint employment review, and in
this context, develop a capacity to monitor labour market and social developments, in
particular the impact of ongoing and accelerating structural change.

– further develop social protection, notably by consolidating the reform of the social security
system with a view to making it financially sustainable, while strengthening the social
safety net.

Energy

– restructure energy utilities and open up further

the various

sectors;

strengthen

administrative and regulatory structures.

– complete alignment of national legislation with the EU energy acquis.

Telecommunications

– complete the transposition of Community legislation.

– develop a comprehensive policy for the entire communications sector.

Regional policy and co-ordination of structural instruments

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– develop a national policy for economic and social cohesion with a view to diminishing
internal disparities including pluri-annual budgeting procedures and establishing structures
for monitoring appraisal and evaluation.

Culture and Audio-visual policy

– complete alignment of audio-visual legislation and strengthen the capabilities of the

independent television/radio regulatory authority.

Environment

– implementation and enforcement of the EU environmental acquis in particular through the
development of framework and sector legislation, together with the strengthening the
institutional, administrative and monitoring capacity to ensure environmental protection.

– implement the acquis with particular attention to the framework legislation, the horizontal
legislation, and to the legislation on nature protection, on water quality and on waste
management; implement a waste management strategy.

– establish monitoring networks and permitting procedures as well as environmental

inspectorates, including data collection.

– integrate sustainable development principles into the definition and implementation of all

other sectoral policies.

– Implement and enforce the Environmental Impact Assessment directive.

Customs

– Complete alignment of legislation in particular on free zones, dual use goods and

technologies, precursors and counterfeited and pirated goods.

Justice and home affairs

– develop training programmes on Community Law and on the implementation of the JHA

Acquis.

– further develop and strengthen JHA institutions with a view in particular to ensuring the

accountability of the police;

– adopt the EU acquis in the field of data protection so as to be able to fully participate in the

Schengen Information System and in Europol ;

– start alignment of visa legislation and practice with those of the EU ;

– adopt and implement the EU Acquis and practices on migration (admission, readmission,

expulsion)so as to prevent illegal migrations.

– continue strengthening of border management and prepare for full implementation of the

Schengen Convention.

– lift the geographical reservation to the 1951 Geneva Convention in the field of asylum and

develop accomodation facilities and social support for refugees

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– adopt and implement the acquis of the EU in the field of corruption, fight against drugs,
organised crime, money laundering and judicial co-operation in criminal and civil matters;
further intensify international co-operation in those fields.

Reinforcement of administrative and judicial capacity

– complete public administration modernisation reform to ensure efficient management of
including strengthening of border management and preparation of full

EC policies,
implementation of the Schengen Convention.

– complete the legislative framework for internal and external financial control; complete the
setting up of a central organisation within the government for harmonising internal
audit/control functions; complete setting up of internal audit/control units in spending
centres; finalise “functional independence” for national internal controllers/auditors at both
central and decentralised levels and “ex-ante” financial control; issue an audit manual and
develop audit trial for control of EU funds.

– complete territorial reform and develop concept of regional and municipal management.

– set up operational structures on regional

level and reinforce existing administrative

structures dealing with regional development.

5.

PROGRAMMING

€

€

376 m grant aid which represents an
During the period 1996 – 1999, Turkey received
annual average of just over
90 m. From 2000 onwards the yearly allocation to Turkey has
been set at 15% of the Meda bilateral envelop in addition to the funds foreseen in the
framework of the two ‘European strategy/ pre-accession strategy’ regulations. The first
5 m. a year during 3 years in order to implement
regulation, adopted in April 2000, foresees
measures to intensify the EC-Turkey Customs union. The second regulation, in the process of
adoption, relates to the implementation of measures to promote economic and social
development in Turkey, and will provide

45 m./year during 3 years.

€

€

All these funds will be pre-accession orientated. In 2000 the repartition is as follows:

– 50 % of appropriations will be dedicated for structural and sector reforms aiming in
particular to harmonise Turkish legislation and practices with the EU acquis. Reforms will
be supported through structural adjustment facilities; the objective is to help Turkey
undertake major structural reforms in line with the ‘acquis communautaire’ and in close
co-ordination with the IMF and the World Bank.

the Community acquis (through institution building);

– 50 % of appropriations will finance other measures aiming at Turkey's integration into the
to help the Turkish administration and institutions to develop the capacity to
EU:
implement
to help Turkey to
mobilise the investment needed to bring its industry and infrastructure up to Community
this
standard (through investment support and regional/rural development). Under
allocation, Turkey can also fund part of its participation in Community programmes and
agencies including in the Fifth Research and Technical Development Framework
Programme (OJ L 26, 1.2.1999, p. 1) and in the areas of Education and SME's .

15

5.1.

Role of International Financial Institutions

Co-operation between Turkey and the International Financial Institutions is receiving an
impetus and a new focus through the Accession Partnership. The grant resources made
available under the Accession Partnership serve as seed money and a catalyst for larger
amounts of development finance from the IFIs. This process is developed by the Commission
in liaison with the candidate countries, the EIB and the IFIs, in particular the World Bank
with a view to facilitating the co-financing of projects relating to pre-accession priorities. At
the same time, it is important that close co-operation takes place with the programmes of
other donors (Member States; third countries).

6.

CONDITIONALITY

Community assistance for financing projects through the pre-accession instruments for
Turkey is conditional on respect by Turkey of its commitments under the Association
Agreement, Customs Union and related decisions of the EC – Turkey Association Council for
example on the trade regime for agricultural products. Further steps towards satisfying the
Copenhagen criteria and in particular progress in meeting the specific priorities of this
Accession Partnership in 2001 need to be taken. Failure to respect these general conditions
could lead to a decision by the Council on the suspension of financial assistance on the basis
of Article 4 of the proposed single – framework regulation.

7.

MONITORING

The implementation of the Accession Partnership will be monitored in the framework of the
Association Agreement. As underlined by the European Council in Helsinki, for Turkey it is
important that the institutions of the Association Agreement continue to be the framework
within which the adoption of the acquis can be examined, in accordance with the same
arrangements, irrespective of whether or not negotiations have been opened.

The relevant sections of the Accession Partnership will be discussed in the appropriate sub-
committee. The Association Committee discusses overall developments, progress and
problems in meeting its priorities and intermediate objectives as well as more specific issues
referred to it from the sub-committees.

To begin with, the Meda Management Committee ensures that financing decisions under the
two financial regulations under the European Strategy) are
three instruments, (Meda;
compatible with each other as well as with the Accession Partnership.

The Commission is preparing a new single regulation for the implementation of the new
budget line “pre-accession strategy for Turkey" (PDB 2001). After the adoption of that
regulation,
the Phare Management Committee is to ensure the task of monitoring the
compatibility with the Accession Partnership.

16