Introduction

Turkey became a candidate country for membership of EU as a result of its application to Helsinki European Council in 1999. EU established a Customs Union with Turkey in 1995 with its scope based on manufactured products between Turkey and EU. Negotiations were underway in October 2005 to make Turkey a member state. During the same time, EU closed one provisional chapter including Science and Research (2006) as it opened negotiations for seven other chapters in consideration to the Turkey application to join EU. The seven chapters include: Enterprise and Industry (March 2007) and Financial Control and Statistics (June 2007), Trans-European Networks and Consumer and Health Protection (December 2007), Intellectual Property and Company Law (June 2008). In February 2008, European Council adopted a revised accession partnership with Turkey. Turkey operates under certain EU policies and customs such as technical regulation of products, competition and intellectual property law (Cheuassus, 2004).

According to the Delegation of European Commission in Turkey (2001), failure by the state to comply with the past EU policies in other treaties led to its failure in becoming a member state in 2006. Application of such treaties re dated back to 1959 when Turkey made its  initial application  to become an EU member state. This has led to the increased pressure to admit Turkey as a member state upon its application in 1999. In 2006, the council decided that eight relevant chapters shall neither be closed nor opened until Turkey had fulfilled its commitment. The issue at this time was Turkish failure to apply to Cyprus the additional protocol of the Ankara Agreement. Among the 8 chapters were: free movement of goods, financial services, agriculture and rural development, fisheries, transport policy, right of establishment and freedom to provide services, external relations and customs union.

The EU and Turkey are linked by a Customs Union agreement, which came in force on 31 December 1995, pursuant to the 1963 EU–Turkey Association Agreement, which promoted trade and economic relations (Duna & Kutay,2000). The Customs Union does not cover important economic areas, such as agriculture, covered by bilateral trade concessions, services or public procurement.

Arguments in Favor of Turkey Joining the EU

Turkey is a politically stable regional power geographically and strategically  located at the crossroads between Europe and the Middle East  and between Europe and central Asia (Zahariadis,2004). Thus, it is desirable to join the EU to establish free trade with EU. Turkey, culturally diverse, also serves as a bridge between the Christian Europe and Islamic states,. Its diversity provides education and business partnerships with neighbouring European  nations. Its cultural ties to the EU in education and business and the Turkish Diaspora provides strong support for Turkey to have a position in the EU (Ulgen, 2002).

According to the World Bank (2005), Turkish economic growth has had positive impacts on the EU since 2003 due to its economically active, young population and strong investment environment. Turkey has a high percentage of young, economically active population, which serves as an excellent market for European goods as well as providing labour for the European nations. Large investors in Turkey boosts the nation’s economy to the degree that EU nations exhibit some envy.  In particular, Turkish manufacturers, particularly in autos and appliances, have  attracted a major investors, which increases national income. These economic factors also have prompted calls for Turkey to join the EU.

Turkey has also been a military ally of European interests since the beginning of the Cold War. This also increases European interest in having Turkey join the EU so it can assist with European defense issues. Turkish troops have participated in European and UN missions in Afghanistan and Democratic Republic of Congo, among other places(Tangermann, 2003). Turkey has been in the forefront in the war against global terrorism. Including Turkey in the EU will result into strengthening the EU in both security matters as well as defense.

Turkey has instituted important reforms by cracking down on torture and giving rights to its minority Kurdish population as well as abolishing capital punishment (Ulgen & Zahiadiris, 2004).. These reforms came  in part in an attempt to move closer to EU standards and thus enable consideration for EU membership. The EU is concerned that such reforms may be delayed or reversed if EU membership is denied Turkey (Tonak, 2005). Russia also uses Turkey as a key pathway for energy supplies from central Asia and the Middle East; admitting Turkey to the EU may  make such energy sources more available to European nations.

Arguments Opposing Turkey Joining the EU

According to the CIA Factbook (2011), Turkish population is currently over 78 million, a size which strains Turkey’s resources and the size of the nation. Furthermore, the population is growing at nearly 1.25% per year, or growing by about 975,000 per year. Turkey’s failure to control her fertility rates may lead overwhelming population growth . The largest country in the EU is Germany, which the CIA Factbook (2011) describes as having a 2011 population of 81.5 million, but which is losing population at just over -0.20% per year (losing 163,000 population per year).  Thus, there is concern that admitting Turkey to the EU would soon result in Turkey being the largest nation-state in population. (Desantis,2000). Since the EU operates under a population-weighted voting system, the concern is that as Turkey’s population continues to grow, it would soon have too great a say in EU matters if made a member (EU’s Trade, 2009). Germany also sees Turkey as a potential rival for influence within the EU commission because, as the current most populous member nation in the EU, it has more power in decision-making than other states.  If Turkey is admitted to the EU and grows in population, Germany’s dominant position within the EU will be threatened. This has led to the delay of the commission in making the decision over Turkish inclusion to the EU.

The geographical position of the country geographically is another concern.. Turkey directly borders Iran and Iraq and has the majority of its territory in Asia rather than Europe. Some EU states perceive potential threats from Turkey’s neighboring states. The concern is that admitting Turkey may also admit instability and insecurity to other EU members.

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