Brussels, 22/11/2004 (Agence Europe) - During its plenary session, the Committee of the Regions adopted a resolution by its EPP group on the opening of negotiations for Turkey's accession to the EU, in which it urges Turkey to "improve its human rights situation" and "ensure that all religions are respected", guaranteeing "equal legal status for all Churches" in particular. Based on the experience built up with the former candidate countries, the CoR would like to play an active part in the reinforcement of political, cultural, social and religious dialogue by setting up a "joint consultative committee made up of representatives of Turkish regional authorities and the CoR", on the bases of the European Council's decision and by proposal of the Council of Ministers and the Association Council. The Committee also asked to be consulted in future on Turkey's accession, "from a local and regional point of view", and "calls upon the Commission to consult it on future regular reports" on Turkey.
In its resolution, which was presented by the President of the EPP group, the Italian Isodoro Gottardo, the Committee states in respect of decentralisation that Turkey should adopt a law on the special provincial administration and one on communes and urban areas, following broad consultation of local and regional authority bodies, and that it should pay particular attention to the development of its least favoured regions.