European Commission report on Turkey

By Nicolas Tavitian, Inside Europe, Brussels, 11/11/2005

Yesterday, the European Commission published an unenthusiastic 2005 edition of its yearly report on Turkey’s progress towards EU accession. Its 2004 report was upbeat, and took note of the dynamic of reform then gathering momentum in the country. But this year, the EC notes with concern that “the pace of reform has slowed in 2005”.

The Commission’s report, published on a yearly basis, reviews Turkey’s record in three areas of relevance to the EU accession process: reform in areas of “political” significance, the strength of the economy, and the adoption by Turkey of EU legislation in 33 sectors ranging from the free movement of goods to financial and budgetary regulations.

Turkish policies regarding Armenians are noted in various chapters. Under the “political criteria”, the report echoes concerns expressed earlier this year at the continued prosecutions, in spite of recent changes in the penal code, of individuals- such as newspaper editor Hrant Dink and novelist Orhan Pamuk- for talking of Armenian-Turkey relations or of the 1915 extermination. Commissioner for enlargement Olli Rehn noted in this respect that the penal code might have to be further amended.

In reference to the rights of minorities, problems previously noted are reiterated, and the report notes that “Turkey’s approach to minority rights remains unchanged” since last year. For reference, this includes a range of administrative measures aimed at thwarting cultural and educational rights among the non-muslim minorities and the arbitrary confiscation of schools and churches.

The report makes no mention of the Turkish government’s policy of denial of the Armenian genocide; in this, it is consistent with the its past treatment of the topic, which it considers irrelevant to the accession process.

Turkey’s relations with Armenia are referred to in the EC’s minimalistic tradition, noting that “the border is still closed and no diplomatic relations have been established”, but that “official contacts have continued to take place”. [Turkey has in fact blockaded Armenia for 13 years and is seeking to isolate it at all levels.

The Commission’s rushed treatment of Armenia-Turkey relations will no doubt be improved upon in future assessments. It is particularly noteworthy, in this respect, that whereas relations with Cyprus and Greece are included among the all-important political criteria, in need of urgent improvement from the EC’s point of view, Turkey’s dispute with Armenia is relegated to chapter 31, “external relations”, as it has been since it was first mentioned in 2001. The explanation for this discrepancy is clearly one of political opportunity from the Commission’s point of view.

On October 3, 2005, the European Council said it expected Turkey to show its “unequivocal commitment to good neighbourly relations […]”. That is what the Commission will be expected to examine some day: is Turkey “unequivocally committed to good neighbourly relations”?

Links:
The Annual Report