12 November 2007

12 November 2007

Dr. Uğur AkerDr. Uğur AkerHiram CollegeHiram College

EU

Turkey

and

Short HistoryShort History

Turkey signed an association agreement Turkey signed an association agreement with EEC (first step to membership) in with EEC (first step to membership) in 1963.1963.Czech Republic signed an association Czech Republic signed an association

agreement in 1993.agreement in 1993.Turkey submitted a formal application for Turkey submitted a formal application for

membership in 1987.membership in 1987.Poland and Hungary applied in 1994.Poland and Hungary applied in 1994.


Customs Union started in Customs Union started in 1996 and completed in 1996 and completed in 2001.2001. Industrial goods between Industrial goods between

Turkey and EU are free from Turkey and EU are free from tariffs and quantitative tariffs and quantitative restrictions.restrictions.

Turkey has aligned its trade Turkey has aligned its trade policies with the EU.policies with the EU.


The Helsinki European Council of 1999 The Helsinki European Council of 1999 granted the status of candidate country to granted the status of candidate country to Turkey.Turkey.Cooperation for adopting the legal framework Cooperation for adopting the legal framework

((acquis communautaireacquis communautaire).).Turkey became the only candidate for Turkey became the only candidate for

membership without a timetable.membership without a timetable.


• In Nice (2000) a revision of vote In Nice (2000) a revision of vote distribution excluded Turkey, implying that distribution excluded Turkey, implying that EU-15 did not plan for Turkey to become a EU-15 did not plan for Turkey to become a member in the foreseeable future.member in the foreseeable future.


The Progress Report in 2002 stated that The Progress Report in 2002 stated that Turkey did not fulfill the Copenhagen Turkey did not fulfill the Copenhagen (1993) criteria of political and human (1993) criteria of political and human rights.rights.Political and human rights: “stability of Political and human rights: “stability of

institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities.”protection of minorities.”

Copenhagen CriteriaCopenhagen Criteria 2003 Progress Report: 2003 Progress Report:

Economic criteria Economic criteria fulfilled.fulfilled.

Progress Report in Progress Report in October 2004 October 2004 acknowledged acknowledged fulfillment of the fulfillment of the political and human political and human rights criteria.rights criteria.


““Major political Major political developments in the developments in the country led to the country led to the decision to open decision to open accession accession negotiations at the negotiations at the December 2004 December 2004 European Council European Council summit.” summit.” ROMANO PRODI, THE

PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Ankara, 14 January 2004

Accession negotiations Accession negotiations were opened in October were opened in October 2005.2005.


More alignment between EU and Turkish More alignment between EU and Turkish legal systems took place during 3 years legal systems took place during 3 years between 2003 and 2005 than the past between 2003 and 2005 than the past dozen years.dozen years.

“[Former] President Sezer exercised his right of veto on several laws related to political reforms, notably the law on the Ombudsman, the law on Foundations, and the law on private education institutions. The President also appealed to the Constitutional Court against the law on theOmbudsman. Strained relations between the President and the government contributed to slowing work on political reforms.

Major recessions in 1989 (-4%), in 1994 (-10%), in 1999 (-10%), andIn 2001 (-12%).

Growth RatesGrowth RatesBetween 1970 and 2001 the average Between 1970 and 2001 the average

annual growth rate for the economy was annual growth rate for the economy was around 4%.around 4%.

Between 1991 and 2001 the average Between 1991 and 2001 the average annual growth rate was 3.2% - one-fifth annual growth rate was 3.2% - one-fifth lower than the 30-year average.lower than the 30-year average.

Since 2002, the growth rate has been Since 2002, the growth rate has been around 7%.around 7%.

Annual Percentage Changes in GDP

Durable Other Private Private

Consumption

Consumption

Consumption Investment Exports Imports GDP

1990-2001 10.1 2.6 3.2 4.0 10.1 10.4 3.2

2002-2006 14.7 4.9 6.6 20.3 11.3 17.2 7.2

Average Annual InflationAverage Annual Inflation

20% in the 1970s.20% in the 1970s.35-40% in the early 1980s.35-40% in the early 1980s.60-65% in the late 1980s and early 60-65% in the late 1980s and early

1990s.1990s.90% before the disinflation program in 90% before the disinflation program in

late 1990s.late 1990s.

Annual CPI and Targets

TradeTrade

In 2006, the EU-Turkey trade reached 85 In 2006, the EU-Turkey trade reached 85 billion euros, making Turkey EU’s seventh billion euros, making Turkey EU’s seventh largest trading partner.largest trading partner.

2007 2002 1999 1995

Voter Participation 84.60% 79.10% 87.10% 85.20%

Incumbents 32.60% 10.90% 43.60% 45.30%

Women 9.10% 4.70% 4.00% 2.70%

2007 Election

INDEPENDENTS26 milletvekili

99 representatives

DSP 13 representatives

DTP 20 representatives

BBP 1 representative

ODP 1 representative

The winners of 1999 election had no Representatives elected in 2002. The winner of the 2002 election (AKP 34.3%) raised its percentage to 46.7%. The main opposition CHP received 19.4% in 2002 and 20.9% in 2007.

“…the armed forces continued to exercise significant political influence. Senior members of the armed forces have stepped up their public Comments on domestic and foreign policy questions including Cyprus, secularism and Kurdish issues. On a number of occasions, the General Staff reacted publicly to government statements or decisions. The General Staff directly interfered with the April 2007 presidential election by publishing a memorandum on its website expressing concern at the alleged weakening of secularism in the country.

There were several attempts from senior members of the armed forces to restrict academic research and public debate in Turkey, in particular on security and minority rights issues.”

Headscarf UseHeadscarf Use

Single 31.8%

Divorced/widow 65.7%

Married 70.6%

Surveys held in May 2003And September 2007.

18-27 43.8%

28-43 65.4%

44+ 76.1%

Metropolitan 44.5%

Urban 62.8%

Rural 74.1%

Headscarf UseHeadscarf Use

Saadet Party 100.0%

DTP 83.3%

AKP 79.8%

Didn't vote 53.9%

DP 53.4%

MHP 52.5%

Genc Party 48.5%

CHP 19.3%

Other 38.9%

…the prosecution and conviction for the expression of non-violent opinions under certain provisions of the Turkish Criminal Code are a cause of serious concern. The number of persons prosecuted almost doubled in 2006 compared with in 2005), and there was a further increase in the number of prosecutions in 2007. More than half of these charges were brought under the Criminal Code, and in particular under article 301, which penalises insulting "Turkishness", the Republic and the organs and institutions of the state. The restrictive jurisprudence established in 2006 by the Court of Cassation on article 301 remainsin force. Against this background, article 301 needs to be brought in line with the relevant EU standards.

Four VariablesFour Variables

Complete Free Markets Complete Government Control

Fiercely Secular Fundamentalist Religious

Decentralized Political Power Centralized Political Power

National Sovereignty Globalization

Position of Different GroupsPosition of Different Groups

SOVEREIGNTY

GLOBALIZATION

SECULAR SECULARRELIGIOUS RELIGIOUS

FREE MARKETS GOVERNMENT CONTROL

DE-CENT

DE-CENT

CENT

CENT


SOVEREIGNTY

GLOBALIZATION



DE-CENT

DE-CENT

CENT

CENT

Justiceand

DevelopmentParty

(AKP)Party inPower


SOVEREIGNTY

GLOBALIZATION



DE-CENT

DE-CENT

CENT

CENT

AnatolianTigers


SOVEREIGNTY

GLOBALIZATION



DE-CENT

DE-CENT

CENT

CENT

Military


SOVEREIGNTY

GLOBALIZATION



DE-CENT

DE-CENT

CENT

CENT

Nationalist Action Party –MHP


SOVEREIGNTY

GLOBALIZATION



DE-CENT

DE-CENT

CENT

CENT

RepublicanPeople’s P.CHP


SOVEREIGNTY

GLOBALIZATION



DE-CENT

DE-CENT

CENT

CENT

Workers’Party - IP


SOVEREIGNTY

GLOBALIZATION



DE-CENT

DE-CENT

CENT

CENT

Felicity PartySP


SOVEREIGNTY

GLOBALIZATION



DE-CENT

DE-CENT

CENT

CENT

WesternizedHuman

RightsProponents


SOVEREIGNTY

GLOBALIZATION



DE-CENT

DE-CENT

CENT

CENT Kurdish Population – Rural, Traditional

In December 2006, of a total of 33 reports the Council stopped negotiations on eight chapters in response to Turkey’s refusal to extend Association Agreement to the Republic of Cyprus. The Council also halted any closure of chapters under negotiation. Negotiations are already closed on Science and Research chapter and are continuing on three others: Industrial Policy, Statistics, Financial Control. Two more chapters are being discussed in the Council while five remain to be delivered by the Commission to the Council.

EU also informed Turkey about the progress needed to reach a satisfactory level of preparedness on 14 chapters.

During the reporting period, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has delivered a total of 330 judgements finding that Turkey had violated at least one article of the ECHR. The total number of new applications to the ECtHR from 1 September 2006 to 31 August 2007 is higher than the same period last year. More than two thirds of these new applications refer to the right to a fair trial and the protection of property rights. The right to life and the prohibition of torture are referred to in a number of cases.

Past reforms have had positive consequences on the execution of ECtHR judgements. During the reporting period, the Committee of Ministers closed several cases such as the ECtHR judgements for convictions under the former article 8 (freedom of expression) of the Anti-Terror Law, and cases on the dissolution of political parties.

The legislative safeguards introduced by the zero tolerance policy on torture continue to have positive effects. The downward trend in the number of reported cases of torture and ill treatment was confirmed.

The fight against impunity of human rights violations remains an area of concern. There is a lack of prompt, impartial and independent investigation into allegations of human rights violations by members of security forces. Furthermore, judicial proceedings into allegations of torture and ill-treatment are often delayed by the lack of efficient trial procedures or abuseof such procedures.

12 November 2007

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Transcript of 12 November 2007