Kayıtlar
The 13th progression report about Turkey was issued by the European Council in November.
The Commission is reporting regularly about Turkey and other candidate countries to the Council and the Parliament since 1997.
The content of the report includes progression that made by Turkey in terms of meeting the Copenhagen criteria, according to the report.
It also monitors compliance with international obligations, regional cooperation and good neighborly relations with enlargement countries and Member States.
The basic terms in the aspect of a country to join the EU, a new member state must meet three criteria. The first one is political that measures stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities.
Second one is economic about existence of a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union.
As for the third one is acceptance of the Community acquis for being ability to take on the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.
When we look at the history of Turkey's EU bid, Turkey's European Union entrance adventure goes back some half - century ago.
The country first applied for associate membership in the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1959 and the Association Agreement between Turkey and then EEC was signed in 1963 and entered in force in December 1964. Later Turkey and the EU formed a customs union in 1995.
In the aspect of aforementioned basic criteria, until now Turkey has taken significant steps as political and economic especially in recent years and efforts continue to achieve the rest ones. The authorities of the country are sincere to complete all necessary criteria. Because of accomplishing all of the criteria are the objective of Turkey in order to raise the standards of life.
When we review the discussion over Turkey's membership, there are contradictions on the member countries' opinion. While some officials of the member countries defend in favor of Turkey, some of them state their opposition for Turkey's membership.
While some argued that Turkish membership would bring additional prestige to the European Union, also some of them state that "Full membership for Turkey would benefit both sides."
This kind of discussions has been made for years.
When Turkey made its first application in 1959, most of currently existing 27 member countries had not join the union. Maybe some communist block countries that began to join the union after collapsing of the block could not imagine being a member one day to the EU. Meanwhile, Turkey still has been waiting to join; but it feels that it has been stranded.
According to Turkey's part, Turkey has gestured much things up until now on the way of the EU, in return the country did not see anything. Because of seemingly the opposite side has set up its policy on single-sided win understanding, not win-win.
If we look at the Turkey's side the country has been fulfilling its duty one by one, Turkey also is ahead in some aspects when made a comparison with the some EU member countries' similar criteria such as foreign dept rate and growth rates.
Even though many things made on the way to the EU, there is no clear light at end of tunnel for joining the union.
Turkish people basically have the principles of the EU in its culture such as democracy culture and esteeming to the human rights and so on.
In conclusion, the related circles who are sensitive to the issue comment that Turkey can only enter the union in two conditions, one of them when Turkey raises its all political and economical indicators over the EU's; as for the second opinion, Turkey may enter when the EU comes to the stage of dissolving!
