IKV EU Information Centre, in cooperation with the Marmara University, organised a panel entitled “EU for Everyone” on 16 November 2016.

As key speaker of the panel, IKV Secretary-General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas made a speech on the future of Turkey-EU relations. Prof. Nas stated that the EU is currently struggling on how to secure its core values, especially in a context of rising right-wing political parties in several EU Member States. However she emphasised that, with its core values including respect for human rights, freedom of speech, democracy and the rule of law, the EU continues to be an important reference in regard to democratic institutions and better quality of life for Turkish citizens. IKV Secretary-General Prof. Nas also stressed that EU membership should remain as Turkey’s strategic goal. Touching upon the Brexit, Prof. Nas also stated that this development might create a new momentum and/or a new model in Turkey-EU relations.

In the panel, Head of the Department of the EU Politics and International Relations from the EU Institute at Marmara University, Assoc. Prof. Yonca Özer underlined that the future of relations between Turkey and the EU will mostly depend on the results of UN talks on Cyprus and the ongoing modernisation process of Customs Union.