The EU Council on Tuesday 18 June called on the European Commission and the European External Action Service to prepare options for measures against Turkey in response to its continued illegal drilling activities in the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus. The issue of drilling is also expected to be discussed at the European Council on 20-21 June.
“The Council invites the Commission and the European External Action Service to submit options for appropriate measures without delay”, thus announcing the conclusions adopted by the ministers in Luxembourg.
Speaking to the press, the Commissioner for Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, said that these measures could concern funds for Turkey or high-level meetings. At the Sibiu summit, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades called for restrictive measures (see EUROPE 12251/4).
“The EU will closely monitor developments and stands ready to react appropriately and in full solidarity with Cyprus”, the text of the conclusions adds.
The EU Council also regrets that Turkey has not yet responded to repeated calls from the European Union to cease its drilling activities and recalls that these illegal activities have an immediate, negative impact on all EU-Turkey relations.
In their conclusions, the ministers also referred to Turkey's EU accession process, which nevertheless remains an “important partner”. Not surprisingly, the situation is assessed negatively.
“Turkey continues to move away from the European Union by its own decisions. As a result, last year's decision to de facto freeze negotiations remains in place”, Mr Hahn said.
Consequently, “no further chapters [on negotiations] can be considered for opening or closing and no further work towards the modernisation of the EU/Turkey customs union is foreseen”, the EU Council explained in its conclusions.
Once again, the ministers call on Turkey to “urgently reverse all these negative trends”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)