Turkish NGOs urge EU to revive ties, resume accession talks

ANKARA

Seventeen Turkish non-governmental organizations have expressed their support for Türkiye's aspirations to renew its relations with the European Union.

In a joint letter addressed to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, the organizations emphasized the significance of advancing Türkiye-EU relations in line with the vision of full membership.

The letter, signed by prominent groups such as the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD) and the Economic Development Foundation (İKV), was delivered ahead of the EU foreign ministers' meeting scheduled for July 20, during which Türkiye-EU relations were set to be discussed.

Key among the demands put forth in the letter is the continuation of Türkiye's EU accession process, urging the EU to treat Türkiye fairly as a candidate country, which the NGOs assert would serve as a vital incentive for the revitalization of the accession process.

Citing various public opinion polls conducted by different organizations, the letter highlighted that a significant percentage of Turkish people, ranging from 58 to 79 percent, are in support of the country's EU membership.

Moreover, the NGOs called for the simplification and acceleration of visa processes, along with the resumption of high-level dialogues on the economy, transport and energy, until the visa exemption process is ultimately completed.

The meeting of EU foreign ministers is expected to mark the initial step toward a comprehensive report, which Borrell plans to announce in the autumn. During the meeting, Borrell was slated to brief EU ministers on his discussion with Turkish top diplomat Hakan Fidan.

The country's EU accession process, which has been largely stalled since 2016, was thrust back into the spotlight after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made the recommencement of the country's membership talks a prerequisite for ratifying Sweden's NATO bid.

The formal negotiations started between Türkiye and the EU for the former’s joining the 27-member club in 2005, but the process has de facto been suspended by Brussels due to the country’s inability to fulfill the required membership criteria, especially on human rights performance.

Türkiye says it is a political decision and calls on the EU to adopt a more adequate and honest approach towards Ankara.

In 2016, the EU said it would open no new areas in Türkiye’s membership talks in the “currently prevailing circumstances” because of concerns about its post-coup measures.