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Brussels to intensify monitoring of Turkey
Ayhan Simsek - The New Anatolian / Ankara
04 November 2006

The European Commission is planning to "intensify its monitoring of the political criteria" in Turkey next year following its oft-repeated criticisms of a slowdown in reforms, according to a key "Enlargement Strategy" paper to be released on Wednesday.

The New Anatolian obtained the latest draft of the paper which will guide the EU's policies towards Turkey next year. The controversy between the EU and Turkey on Cyprus made the content of the paper more important, but due to the ongoing talks of EU Term President Finland with the relevant parties, the European Commission omitted Cyprus paragraphs from the text. According to the EU sources, these paragraphs will be added to the final text on Monday following a meeting of chief of the cabinets of the European Commission. The text will be finalized on Wednesday, during the meeting of the members of the European Commission.

Article 301 must be changed

The Commission paper titled " Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2006-2007," in the chapter on Turkey, welcomed the adoption of the ninth reform package, and declining number of cases of torture and ill-treatment in line with the zero-tolerance policy.

But the strategy paper also underlined that the pace of the reforms has slowed down.

"In 2007, it will be important to undertake determined efforts to broaden the reform momentum throughout Turkey. It is necessary to ensure freedom of expression without delay by repealing or amending Article 301 and by overall bringing the legislation into line with European standards," the Commission paper said.

Apart from freedom of expression, the European Commission asked for further efforts to strengthen freedom of religion, women's rights and trade union rights.

"Law enforcement and judicial practice need to be further aligned with the spirit of reforms. At the same time, there is a need for Turkey to address the serious economic and social problems in the southeast and to ensure full enjoyment of rights and freedoms by the Kurdish population," the Enlargement Strategy Paper said. "The Accession Partnership, adopted in January 2006, provides the yardstick to measure progress in the reforms. The Commission will intensify its monitoring of the political criteria."

European Commission's definition of 'Europe'

As part of its Enlargement Strategy paper to be released Wednesday, the European Commission prepared a special report on the EU's "absorption capacity" opposing the definition of Europe on geographical or religious bases.

"The term European combines geographical, historical and cultural elements which all contribute to European identity. The shared experience of ideas, values, and historical interaction cannot be condensed into a simple timeless formula and is subject to review by each succeeding generation," the report obtained by The New Anatolian says.

"The legal basis of the enlargement is Article 49 of the Treaty on EU, which states that 'Any European state which respects the principles set in Article 6 may apply to become a member of the Union'," continues the report. "However this treaty provision does not mean that all European countries must apply or that the EU must accept all applications. The European Union is defined by its values rather that by fixed geographical limits."

The Commission underlined that the EU will stick to its past commitments to countries in the enlargement process, including Turkey, but said further that new accessions will occur only in the medium or long term, due to the current difficulties of the EU.

Defining absorption capacity

On the widely debated absorption capacity, the Commission made the following points with an aim to develop a common definition:

"Absorption capacity, or rather integration capacity refers to the number and kind of new members of the Union can integrate at a given moment or in a given period, without jeopardizing the political and policy objectives established by the treaties. It refers to the capacity of the newcomer to fully implement the EU acquis and to the capacity of the Union to fulfill its role and respect and promote the values enshrined in the treaties.

"The EU's integration capacity is determined by two factors: the transformation of applicants into member states and the development of the Union's policies and institutions. The capacity of would-be members to accede to the Union is rigorously assessed by the Commission on the basis of strict conditionality.

"Integration capacity is about whether the EU can take in new members while continuing to function effectively. Hence, it is first and foremost a functional concept, not a geographical one. It has various dimensions: economic, financial, institutional and democratic."