EU-Turkey commitments to not just ‘stay on paper’

“Measures will be taken so that the summit agreements do not stay on paper,” Bozkır told reporters in Ankara on Dec. 2, ahead of a working lunch with EU ambassadors in Brussels.

Bozkır said that he was going to Brussels later on Dec. 2 to meet with various EU commissioners to discuss the outcome of the summit, including the new policy area, or “chapter,” on economic and monetary policies in Turkey’s EU accession process, which is expected to open after the following week, preparations for the opening of other chapters in the accession negotiation and visa liberalization and readmission agreements.

“Next week, the government will announce its plans for the first six months [of 2016], as well as which laws will be passed when,” Bozkır said, adding this would also include the adoption of a secondary legislation in regards to visa liberalization.

Economic issues such as updating the Customs Union agreement and Turkey’s participation in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will also be discussed, he added.

The EU and Turkey agreed Nov. 29 to speed up the country’s EU accession process if Ankara takes steps to stem the flow of refugees coming into Europe.

According to a draft agreement, the EU aims to implement visa-free travel for Turks as soon as October 2016 if Ankara meets certain criteria specified in an agreed roadmap.

The EU will also give 3 billion euros in funding to meet the needs of more than two million Syrian refugees in Turkey, as part of the agreement.