EP - Negotiations with Turkey to start in April 2005?

Enlargement Commissioner Günter VERHEUGEN gave details of the possible timetable for accession negotiations with Turkey when he addressed Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday.

The Commission will publish a report on Turkey's compliance with the political criteria for accession before the end of October. "This report will give an objective opinion concerning a five-year period between 1999 and 2004", explained Mr. Verheugen. The European Council will then have to take a decision at its summit in December. Mr. Verheugen said he was going to Turkey next week to meet civil society and political representatives and he added "I have not yet finalised my thoughts. Expectations are high because this is a report which, unusually, covers progress made over a five-year period".

"Have the political conditions to open negotiations been met?" asked Ari VATANEN (EPP-ED, FI) and other MEPs. Reminding his audience that the conclusions of the Copenhagen European Council (2002) state that the Union "will open accession negotiations with Turkey without delay" if it meets the political criteria, Mr. Verheugen went on: "Negotiations would start immediately. However, we would need four to six months to prepare for the negotiations". This implies that negotiations with Turkey could begin in April 2005.

Romania was also discussed at Tuesday's meeting with Mr. Verheugen. The chapters still to be negotiated are services, environment, competition, and justice and home affairs. The Council is aiming to wind up the negotiations by the end of this year. "If the Commission did not manage to complete the negotiations by the end of 2004, would that delay Romania's accession to the Union?" asked Jan WIERSMA (PES, NL). Mr. Verheugen replied "If it does not manage to do this, it will not be a disaster. We would still have a year left to ensure that Romania can join by 1 January 2007".

31.08.2004 Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy

In the chair: Elmar BROK (EPP-ED, DE)

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