The views expressed in this document are not necessarily those of the European Parliament as an institution.
1. The elections of 18 April 1999
- The constitution of the 57th Government
2. The constitutional situation
3. Human rights
4. The Kurdish question
5. Cyprus
6. The situation in the Aegean
- GENERAL OVERVIEW
Growth
Consumption
Investment
Production
Foreign trade situation
Employment
Inflation
Monetary and exchange rate policy
Priorities of the government's economic stabilisation policy
(a) The application for membership: the Commission’s opinion
(b) The functioning of the Customs Union
(c) Europe's strategy on Turkey
- The Turkish position
(d) The unblocking of financial aid
(e) The Commission reports on Turkey’s progress towards membership and the granting of applicant country status
On 13 December 1999 the Helsinki European Council adopted the Commission proposal to grant Turkey the status of an applicant for EU membership.
There is, however, still much ground to be covered on the road to membership. As the second regular Commission report (October 1999) indicates, Turkey needs to make substantial progress on the Copenhagen political criteria … ‘There are serious shortcomings in terms of human rights and protection of minorities’.
And ‘Turkey’s stance on the Cyprus question remains at odds both with UN resolutions and with the EU position…’ ‘The territorial dispute in the Aegean remains unsolved’.
Moreover, Turkey is recovering from an earthquake which seriously damaged its economy and needs to considerably tighten up its macro-economic policy.
Parliament, in its resolution on preparations for the Helsinki European Council, points out that ‘negotiations cannot be opened because Turkey is still nowhere near meeting the political criteria of Copenhagen’. Parliament insists that ‘as a candidate country, Turkey must make clear and verifiable progress in meeting those criteria’.
While in favour of releasing some financial aid to Turkey, Parliament’s position is not unanimous with regard to granting applicant country status (cf. Agence Europe, 14.12.1999).