IKV Chairperson Dr. Ayhan Zeytinoğlu commented on the Türkiye report adopted by the European Parliament. Stating that he had expected the report to be more balanced and constructive, Dr. Zeytinoğlu said:

“The Türkiye report drafted by rapporteur Nacho Sánchez Amor following the annual monitoring reports prepared by the European Commission was voted on in the European Parliament and adopted by the Plenary with 381 votes in favour, 107 against and 171 abstentions.

The report reflects the expectations of the majority of the Turkish public regarding Türkiye’s EU accession process, while also noting that the lack of progress towards this goal has generated fatigue on both sides. It underlines Türkiye’s strategic importance as a NATO ally and highlights its multifaceted relations with the EU in trade, the economy, migration, foreign policy and security, as well as its significance for regional security and stability.

The report argues that divergences between the EU and Türkiye on foreign policy issues are not compatible with the European security and defence architecture and emphasises the importance of a relationship based on cooperation and mutual benefit that is gradual, proportionate and reversible. However, it should also be acknowledged that it is natural for Türkiye, which faces wars and security risks in its neighbourhood, to pursue a foreign policy in line with its own priorities. The declining alignment with the EU on foreign policy issues is closely linked to the stagnation of Türkiye’s accession process, the lack of support it has received in addressing key foreign policy challenges, and the EU’s exclusionary approach towards Türkiye.

The EU Should Uphold Consistency and Equality Among Candidate Countries

While the report recalls that Türkiye’s accession process has effectively been frozen since 2018, it emphasises the importance of the rule of law, human rights, democratic standards, judicial independence and impartiality, freedom of the press and fundamental freedoms. There is no doubt that these issues are of critical importance for the accession process and should remain the subject of reforms. However, it should also be recognised that the EU has not always upheld the principle of equal treatment among candidate countries. The fact that leading EU leaders continued to question whether Türkiye belongs to Europe even after accession negotiations had been opened, and the expectation that Türkiye should make unilateral concessions regarding the Cyprus issue, demonstrate that the EU has not always acted objectively and fairly towards Türkiye. The report also accuses Türkiye of violating the sovereign rights of Greece and the Republic of Cyprus and criticises it for obstructing projects such as the Eastern Mediterranean pipeline and the Great Sea Interconnector.

At a time when the EU enlargement process has regained momentum due to geopolitical developments, it is regrettable that this renewed dynamism does not include Türkiye. Although the report attributes this situation to the lack of progress on democratic reforms in Türkiye, it should also be remembered that the EU’s inconsistent and hesitant approach has contributed to the current impasse.

An EU that includes Türkiye would be a more influential global actor. Achieving this, however, requires a more visionary approach from both EU and Member State leaders.

Positive Elements of the Report: Customs Union Modernisation and Visa Liberalisation

The report commends Türkiye for hosting 2.7 million refugees, stresses the importance of cooperation on irregular migration and welcomes developments related to the Climate Law and the establishment of an ETS.

Among its positive recommendations are the resumption of all high-level dialogues between Türkiye and the EU, the deepening of the connectivity agenda in areas such as energy, transport, digital infrastructure and people-to-people contacts, the completion of major infrastructure projects that strengthen connectivity, Türkiye’s participation in the ‘Roam Like at Home’ framework and its inclusion in the SEPA.

Another positive aspect of the report is its support for the modernisation of the Customs Union. The report rightly views modernisation as a means of strengthening trade, investment and supply chain resilience, accelerating the green and digital transitions, addressing public procurement and sustainable development commitments, and enhancing the economic security of both Türkiye and the EU. Rather than imposing preconditions for launching the modernisation process, the report suggests that the European Parliament would insist on strong conditions relating to human rights, fundamental freedoms and respect for international law before concluding it. However, the inclusion of a requirement that the Additional Protocol extending the Ankara Agreement to all Member States should also be implemented with respect to the Republic of Cyprus raises important questions.

The report also refers to the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act and the ‘Made in Europe’ approach proposed by the European Commission. It welcomes the inclusion within this framework of products originating from countries linked to the EU through free trade agreements or, as in Türkiye’s case, a customs union. The report supports this approach, emphasises the importance of deeper integration of candidate countries’ markets and economies, and recommends that future legislation in this area should specifically include countries such as Türkiye that are part of the Customs Union with the EU.

Finally, the report addresses the visa liberalisation process. It calls on Türkiye to fulfil the remaining benchmarks under the Visa Liberalisation Roadmap and states that the European Parliament is willing to move forward with the process as soon as the six outstanding criteria are met. It also expresses concern over the difficulties faced by Turkish citizens in obtaining visas and calls for efforts to overcome technical and administrative obstacles. In addition, it supports visa facilitation measures for specific groups, including businesspeople and Erasmus students.

We hope that the report’s positive recommendations will be taken into account by the European Commission and the Council. We would also encourage the European Parliament to adopt a more balanced approach in future reports and to call not only on Türkiye, but also on the EU and its Member States, to contribute to revitalising Türkiye’s EU accession process.”