On 27 March, Turkey-EU Leaders’ Summit, which was held in Varna, was discussed by Turkey’s leading academics, civil society representatives and EU experts at the panel organised by IKV in cooperation with the Istanbul Policy Center (IPC) Sabancı University-Mercator Foundation Initiative. IPC Director Prof. Dr. Fuat Keyman, IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas, Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV) EU Studies Centre Director Nilgün Arısan Eralp and IPC Research and Academic Affairs Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Senem Aydın-Düzgit participated in the panel as speakers in which IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu delivered the opening speech.

Referring to the interdependence between the EU and Turkey in numerous areas, IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu stressed that this interdependence made it vital for the Turkey-EU relationship to go on. IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu listed the three areas in which Turkey-EU relations could move forward, despite the deadlock in the EU accession negotiations, as visa liberalisation, refugee cooperation and the modernisation of the Customs Union. IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu indicated that the Varna Summit could be seen as an important step for Turkey and the EU to better understand each other and fix the problems in the relations and added: “Hereafter, the relations should be rebuilt step-by-step and brought to the point where it is possible to restart the negotiations. Revitalisation of Turkey’s EU perspective, ensuring progress in areas such as democracy, law, rights and freedoms would create a positive momentum in all areas from economics to politics.”

IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas explained that Turkey and the EU have not given up on each other and are willing to try again, however concrete steps needed to be taken. IKV Secretary-General underscored the importance of the constructive messages voiced by the Turkish and EU sides expressing their joint intention to continue dialogue and working together. Assoc. Prof. Nas asserted that both sides had the chance to express their expectations from each other and convey their positions at the summit.

TEPAV EU Studies Centre Director Nilgün Arısan Eralp indicated that the main purpose of the Summit was to create the impression that the dialogue between the two sides continued. Indicating that bilateral relations were conducted on the basis of interests Arısan Eralp explained Turkey’s motivation for continuing the dialogue as mainly economic whereas the EU’s motivation for continuing its relations with Turkey, she stated, was security-related namely to effectively deal with the refugee crisis and safeguard itself from the instability in the Middle East. IPC Research and Academic Relations Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Senem Aydın-Düzgit indicated that Turkey-EU relations have come to be managed through bilateral agreements and that multilateralism has been abandoned. She also pointed to the fact that there was an impression that the window of opportunity for visa liberalisation was closed. Lastly, IPC Director Prof. Fuat Keyman underlined that for the EU process to continue, along with meetings at the leaders’ level, the civil society and the public on both sides should also be included in the process. Prof. Keyman pointed to the dilemma experienced in the Turkey-EU relations whereby Turkey’s prospective membership is not viewed in a positive light by key decision-makers while at the same time Turkey is regarded as an indispensable strategic partner in dealing with security risks.  Prof. Keyman stressed that in order to overcome this dilemma steps should be taken in various areas from the modernisation of the Customs Union on the one hand, to visa liberalisation on the other. He pointed out that, the success of the dialogue on the aforementioned areas would depend on the inclusion of the civil society and think tanks along with leaders.