On Tuesday 26 June, the EU member states' European affairs ministers said that Turkey has been moving "further away" from the European Union.
In the conclusions they adopted, the Council says that the accession negotiations with Turkey have "effectively come to a standstill. No further (EU accession negotiation) chapters can be considered for opening or closing, and no further work towards the modernisation of the EU-Turkey customs union is foreseen", the Council warns.
Once again condemning the attempted coup of 15 July 2016 and expressing their full support for Turkey's democratic institutions, the EU ministers explain that the disproportionate breadth and scope of the measures taken by Turkey's follow-up to the coup raise serious concerns. They say they are particularly concerned by Turkey's continuing steps backwards on the rule of law and fundamental rights, including the freedom of expression – which they say is of deep concern.
The Council thus asks Turkey to reverse the negative trends urgently. The ministers also ask Turkey to commit unequivocally to good neighbourly relations, international agreements and the peaceful settlement of differences.
Despite all these criticisms, the Council states that Turkey remains a candidate country and a key partner in many areas. It reaffirms the importance it attaches to EU relations with Turkey, a key partner, and says the EU remains determined to maintain an open and frank dialogue, to address common challenges and to cooperate in essential areas of interest such as migration, counter-terrorism, energy, transport, the economy and trade. The ministers commit to the EU continuing its "financial support and technical assistance to strengthen cooperation in this field, including through the EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey", although there is still no agreement between the 28 EU member states on the second instalment of €3 billion that has been promised.
On Wednesday 27 June, Turkey's European Affairs Minister Ömer Çelik attacked the EU Council's conclusions, saying it was "utterly tragicomic that the EU Council, which has been held captive by members (states) where far-right is ruling, argues Turkey has moved away from EU. This can't be taken seriously. Austria’s intention to end Turkey-EU relations now became EU’s position with support of other members", he said (see EUROPE 12047). "We cannot accept a selective type of relationship in which EU considers Turkey a key partner in the fields such as migration, terror, transport and energy which the EU benefits from, but at the same time it refrains from honouring its promises and commitments", Çelik warned. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)