Turkey's request to take part in a PESCO military mobility project
26.5.2021
Question for written answer E-002795/2021
to the Council
Rule 138
Marco Zanni (ID), Marco Campomenosi (ID), Anna Bonfrisco (ID), Susanna Ceccardi (ID)
According to press reports, Turkey has apparently asked to participate in a (EUR 1 billion) Dutch-led PESCO military mobility project.
Although the EU has already recently accepted the participation of other third countries and NATO members (USA, Norway and Canada), Turkey's potential involvement constitutes a special case and should be a matter of concern for the European defence apparatus, since this third country is manifesting aggressive tendencies towards several Member States.
Given the political, substantive and legal conditions laid down by the EU Council on 5 November 2020[1] under the German Presidency, stating that third countries applying for a project must share ‘the values on which the EU is founded’ and the continued deterioration of relations between the EU and Turkey in recent months, can the Council say:
- 1.how Turkey's potential participation can be reconciled with the rules set by PESCO for the participation of third countries in EU military projects? .
- 2.whether it will take into account the tensions in the eastern Mediterranean and the series of diplomatic incidents triggered by Ankara when assessing Turkey’s request?
- [1] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/11/05/eu-defence-cooperation-council-sets-conditions-for-third-state-participation-in-pesco-projects/