On Thursday 24 June, EU leaders are expected to take stock of work carried out on the ‘positive agenda’ proposed to Turkey in October 2020 (see EUROPE 12572/1), according to draft European Council conclusions dated 14 June, without taking any specific decisions.
The European Council should welcome the continued de-escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean and reaffirm its readiness to engage with Turkey in a “phased, proportionate and reversible manner”, subject to conditions.
In that framework, leaders should take note of the start of work at technical level leading towards the modernisation of the EU-Turkey Customs Union, while recalling the need to address current difficulties in the implementation of the Customs Union. Concerns include the discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Association Agreement with regard to Cyprus, Turkey’s policy of forced localisation of pharmaceutical production, and subsidies for certain iron and steel products.
The European Council should also note the preparatory work for high-level dialogues with Turkey on issues of mutual interest, such as public health, climate, counterterrorism and regional issues.
It could also take note of the European Commission’s proposal to continue financing for Syrian refugees and host communities in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon and calls for its swift adoption (see EUROPE 12682/13). However, this section of the conclusions is still under discussion among the EU Member States’ delegations.
Finally, the leaders are expected to return to the Cyprus issue; they are regretful that the informal meeting in Geneva at the end of April “did not pave the way for the resumption of the formal negotiations” (see EUROPE 12709/25). The EU will continue to play an active role in supporting this process, they are likely to add.
No explicit reference to the situation of the Rule of law in Turkey is made in this draft (see EUROPE 12721/5).
Read the draft conclusions: https://bit.ly/2SJyJHx (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)