On Wednesday 6 September, following a meeting with the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, said that “the EU will not be a true global player without Turkey”.
“It is important that we pave the way for Turkey’s accession process, and we need to revitalise our relationship as part of the accession process”, he added. According to the Minister, it would be a “serious mistake” to exclude Turkey from the accession process at a time when enlargement policy has been on the EU’s agenda along with geopolitical concerns.
The Commissioner stressed that the resumption of accession negotiations – which are currently at a “standstill” – depended on “very clear criteria” “linked to democracy and the Rule of law”.
Recalling that in June European leaders had asked the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for an analysis of EU-Turkey relations (see EUROPE 13212/5), Mr Várhelyi revealed that he had discussed with Mr Fidan the areas in which it would be possible to move forward, believing that the partnership had “immense potential”. He cited areas such as customs and market access, visa liberalisation, energy and technology, and food security. The Turkish Minister, for his part, insisted on the modernisation of the customs union and visa liberalisation, subjects that have been on the table for many years.
In addition, the EU and Turkey have signed a new contract worth €781 million as part of the Emergency Social Safety Net to support Syrian refugees in Turkey. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)