Turkey and the European Union: A Match Made or Not The formation of the European Union (EU) has created an economic powerhouse for the rest of the world to recognize and to negotiate with economically. The old colonial powerhouses joined forces to become an economic bloc that gained momentum throughout the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, attracting outside nations to the organization. While, some countries have had little difficultly gaining admission to the EU, one county in particular has felt resistance. Turkey has been singled out in the accession process. Officially, Turkey is met with opposition due to the lack of reforms the EU requires of joining nations to meet certain economic, political, and human rights standards. Opposing nations also point to the obvious fact in questioning whether Turkey is truly a European nation. While there is certainly no debating the truth that Turkey has yet to meet the criteria …show more content…
Through secularist policies, the country attempted to introduce further reforms to meet the guidelines of EU admission. Turkey believe in 1997 that their time had finally come. At the Luxembourg Summit, the EU announced they wanted to push East. However, Turkey was not included on the list of prospective post-communist, Warsaw Pact countries, because the EU claimed once again that Turkey did not meet the Copenhagen Criteria for accession, even though many of the proposed countries were shaky on their human rights positions as well (European Council in Copenhagen 2017). Taking the news in stride, only two year later in 1999 at the Helsinki Summit, Turkey gained an official candidate status. Sensing the closeness of achieving a goal that has spanned 50 years, the country introduced massive political reform packages and eight constitutional amendments (Bogdani 2010, 23). Finally, in 2004, the European Council decided to begin accession negotiations with
When the European Union was started, it was just a few countries wanting to find peace after World War Two, but now it is a global influencer and is committed to helping people. Throughout the decades, the EU has transformed into a global peace maker and has many advantages to joining. Being in the European Union outweighs the costs of not, because it can affect your country's economy and culture substantially. GDP’s can define your stance in the world based on your economic market. Having a bigger economic value than the US is saying a lot.
Not only was a decision made to create the EMU but the governments of the member states also signed on creating a political union for “an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe”. The discussion within the negotiations on the Maastricht Treaty focused on themes like the role of the European Parliament, establishing a European citizenship, the development of new common policies such as culture and interior affairs and the creation of a common foreign
Sending someone to prison is meant to interrupt their criminal activity but in doing so it also disrupts their positive life building activities as well (Apel & Sweeten 2010: 448). Being previously incarcerated has a negative impact on future job possibilities (Schmitt & Warner 2011: 92). Being previously incarcerated makes one notably less employable and significantly lowers employment opportunities (Schmitt & Warner 2011: 87). This is due to the fact that being in prison decreases the time spent in the work place, diminishing on-the-job experience and soft skills such as communication, people skills, and punctuality (Schmitt & Warner 2011: 93). They may also lack job interview skills, or the skills and confidence to continue their job search if their first attempts do not prove to be successful (Harley, 2014: 15). Along with this, being incarcerated can also cause one to gain less likeable qualities such as being confrontational and aggressive and have problems with authority (Apel & Sweeten 2010: 451). Being previously incarcerated makes obtaining employment harder for those already vulnerable with less job skills
Large numbers of foreign fighters and sympathisers are abandoning Islamic State and trying to enter Turkey, with at least two British nationals and a US citizen joining an exodus that is depleting the ranks of the terror group.
However, Europe faces a regression in economic terms. The economic stagnation shadows the success of Europe’s past, and fear for becoming a relic run rampant among citizens (101). Fear also creates an uncertainty in the states future, and as a result, the identity crisis is maximized, creating a need for internal stability. The states internal stability is achieved by preserving their already established norms and customs, further alienating themselves from the other. The phenomenon is exemplified in France, Netherland, and Ireland when they voted no on joining the European Union. The lack of confidence promotes the desire to stay isolated from the others. Enforcing barriers against outsiders ensures that state traditions will remain the same and limits the threats from entering. Turkey joining the EU incorporating a Muslim population into the
The north side is referred to as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, but is only recognized as a country by Turkey (europa.eu.int). While the Greek side has much prosperity and low unemployment rates, the Turkish side has much poverty and is underdeveloped (The Economist March 15-21 2003). There have been numerous efforts at peace since the 1970s, but none have worked (eubusiness.com 11/4/2003). The summer of 1996 is an example of this, when there were many incidents of hostility among the line between the two sides, leaving several dead (europarl.eu.int). In July of 1990 the Republic of Cyprus applied for membership to the European Union in the name of the entire island (europa.eu.int). The European Union agreed to admit Cyprus, along with nine other candidates into the union in 2004 (The Economist Jan 18-24 2003). This accession to the Union was unanimously approved by Cypriot parliament (eubusiness.com 11/4/2003). Cyprus has always been considered ?European.? It has been a full member of the Council of Europe since 1961 and has concluded an Association Agreement with Eruopean Economic Community in 1972 (kypros.org). However, now leaders of the north side of Cyprus are not cooperating, so when time comes for Cyprus to join the Union, the Greek-Cypriot side may be the only part of the island joining.?
Accession of new members from Eastern Europe into the union is possible only through good governance, effective institutions, and quality democracy. Good governance creates effective institutions. These institutions produce quality democracy. Established member states want a democratic sub-continent which will support expansion towards Eastern Europe. Next I evaluate the literature in order to establish whether EU institutions have the real power to impact the quality of democracy in Eastern European and Balkan members in order to support EU expansion.
This article discusses the process of Albania’s application to the EU, the hardships Albania has endured as a communist country and the changes Albania will have to incorporate for acceptance into the EU. Albania will have to overcome many challenges in order for acceptance into the EU and will have to make drastic improvements in regards to corruption, bribery and free elections. Articles provides a basis for studying Albania in regards to application to the EU.
As of December 2004, the EU had offered to begin membership talks with Turkey next year, with October 3, 2005, given as a start date . However, EU officials warned that Turkey has to recognize Cyprus before the talks start. Turkey, which occupies northern Cyprus, had originally said it would not bow to demands to recognize the country, making the issue of compliance- and ultimately accession- relatively stalemated.
Gaining membership to the European Union (EU) has been a frustrating process for Turkey. The Near East nation began its campaign for EU membership nearly 30 years ago under the EU’s predecessor, the European Economic Community. In 2005, 18 years after beginning the application process, Turkey was finally invited to enter accession negotiations. The protracted delay was a result of unfavorable economic conditions in Turkey as well as Turkey’s tumultuous relationships with EU members Greece and Cyprus. Yet, the question remains: why hasn’t Turkey been granted membership to the EU?
Turkey’s future remains ambiguous. On an economic perspective, Turkey is booming. It is quickly launching itself into globalism. A growing economy “during the first six months of 2011 Turkey even vied with China for position as the world’s fastest growing economy. Since 2002 the Turkish economy has nearly tripled in size, experiencing the longest spurt of prosperity in modern Turkish history” (Çaǧaptay, 2014, pp. 17). Diversifying its efforts to bring the nation into the international realm as global player. A prime example of modernization theory, that as countries modernize, streghten middle class values, it becomes inevitable that countries transition away from oppressive regimes to a strong democratic institution. Hindering a politically effective democracy is the current president of Turkey. Increasing tensions and waning legitimacy from its population is showing signs of stress. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was elected to the presidency in 2014.
Although Norway’s economy is integrated in the market of the European Union [EU], it is still one of the countries not formally included in this organization. Previously known as the European Economic Commission in 1972, Norway did not join the EU. In 1994, Norway once again rejected membership to the European Union based on a referendum: 47.6% voted yes but 52.4% voted no to membership of the EU. Instead, Norway signed the European Economic Area Agreement (EEA). This Agreement guarantees the internal market’s four freedoms: the free movement of goods, people, services and capital. Signing this agreement was a smart and calculated choice because Norway has benefited from trade advantages while averting regulation enforced by the EU, and
Following this period of immense change, Turkey will remain in somewhat of a status quo for the next ten years, while President Erdogan is in power. The new electoral rules from the 2017 referendum include a five-year presidential election cycle, with a two-term limit (Why did Turkey hold a referendum?, 2017). Erdogan has had a long and successful career in Turkish politics, as Mayor of Istanbul in 1994, forming his own party the AK Party (AKP), serving as Prime Minister, and eventually becoming President. He is immensely popular in some areas of Turkey, including the Anatolian heartland and Black Sea region. His popularity and influence can be seen by the public’s willing response when called to arms by the President during the July 2016 coup attempt, as well as his increased approval rating shortly after his crackdown on the Gulenists (Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Turkey's pugnacious president, 2017). Due to these factors, Erdogan will be re-elected in 2019 and serve as President until 2024. As a result of his re-election, he will use his newly
Half a century ago Turkey admitted to the European Union membership and until now Turkey didn’t have a full membership. The EU fears Turkey and Turkey is eager to join the Christen club. Therefore, the EU – Turkey relations went through several turns that either stalemated or encouraged the process of admitting Turkey to the EU membership. The EU-Turkey relation is important for both parties, because it involves mutual security, economic and strategic benefits. However, the recent progress in the EU- Turkey relations seems slow and lack collective goals that strengthen the Turkish EU cohesion. For example, there was 14 Chapter opened in the EU accession negations but they did only finish negotiating about one Chapter. Both Turkey and the EU individual countries contributed to such outcome. In order to understand this recent negative development in the EU-Turkey relation, we need to address the facts that either helped or undermined both parties cohesion.
On January 1st 2007 while the world was celebrating New Year’s Day, twenty five state members of the European Union (EU) welcomed almost 30 million people from Romania and Bulgaria to the union. Massive celebrations were held in Romania and Bulgaria to mark this accession. This historic event also marked the fifth enlargement of the EU and the peaceful reunification of Western and Eastern European countries since the end of the Cold War. The path to membership was long and sometimes challenging but in the end these two countries arrived to the road of Europe and the future.