This year’s Progress Report on Turkey, released on the 14th of October, surely came at a critical juncture for Turkey. Over the last year, accession negotiations have been proceeding at a snail’s pace and run the risk of coming to a complete standstill unless there is some substantive progress on Cyprus. In addition, at the EU summit in December under the Swedish Presidency, three years after the 2006 EU Council decision, the heads of member states will review the ruling Justice and Development Party’s efforts, as well as examine the country’s progress towards fully implementing the Additional Protocol to the Association Agreement.

What does the Commission say?

The European Commission’s 2009 Progress Report on Turkey’s progress towards full EU membership underlines that some positive steps have been made over the last year. Within this framework, the appointment of a new Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator, Mr. Egemen Bağis and the approval of the National Programme of Turkey for the Adoption of the EU Acquis, are welcomed by the Commission. Both decisions signify that Ankara is now giving greater priority to the preparation for accession.

On the other hand, it continues to raise concerns about a set of issues. Freedom of expression, the independence of the judiciary, the military’s interference in political life, minority rights, remaining restrictions on the free movement of goods, including restrictions on means of transport regarding Cyprus, are among the main European concerns that are included in the Progress Report.

With reference to the political criteria, the Commission stresses that Turkey has made further progress in areas such as the reform of the judiciary, civil-military relations and cultural rights. For example, it welcomes the opening of a public TV channel broadcasting 24-hour in Kurdish nation-wide. On the other hand, it is critical of “the lack of dialogue and spirit of compromise between political parties”, which feels is “detrimental” to the pursuit of reform, particularly constitutional reform. The Commission also calls for further effort to ensure freedom of expression and of the press and adds that the “disproportionate fine” imposed on the Doğan press group “raises concerns”. Moreover, it criticizes the fact that “the armed forces have continued to exercise undue political influence via formal and informal mechanisms” and there are references to the Ergenekon case.

With regards to the economic criteria, the Commission underlines that reform has slowed down and some structural reforms have still to be undertaken. It accepts that Turkey has made considerable progress on bringing itself into line legislatively with the EU, but in some areas (including agriculture, fisheries, veterinary and plant health policies, state aid, justice and home affairs), further effort is needed. It adds that the country’s general administrative capacities must be improved.

Greek views on the Progress Report

According to the Greek view, Turkey needs to accelerate the reform process, remain loyal to its European goal and gradually implement the “acquis communautaire”. A “European Turkey” equalizes to a less dangerous neighbor, a more important economic partner and a guarantee for a more secure regional environment.

Greece supports Turkey’s accession as a full member of the EU, provided that Turkey fully implements the terms and criteria established. In this respect, Greece asks Turkey to ensure the irreversibility of the political reform process and its implementation, especially as concerns fundamental freedoms and full respect of human rights, which include the issues of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek minority, as well as the settlement of any outstanding border differences by peaceful means. Moreover, a priority issue in Turkey’s accession course is the need to ratify and implement the Additional Protocol to the EU Association Agreement, as that alone will allow the Customs Union to operate with the 25, including Cyprus.

In the 2009 Progress Report, all the above mentioned issues and concerns are addressed. Within this framework, this year’s EU Commission Report highlights that “non-Muslim communities –as organized structures of religious groups– still face problems due to lack of legal personality” and that more importantly “the Halki (Heybeliada) Greek Orthodox seminary remains closed, although its re-opening was widely debated over the reporting period”. It adds that “the Ecumenical Patriarch is not free to use the ecclesiastical title ‘Ecumenical’ on all occasions.” Moreover, the report adds that “Greek minority continues to encounter problems with education and property rights, including on the islands of Gökçeada (Imvros) and Bozcaada (Tenedos)”.

With respect to the ρeaceful settlement of border disputes, the Commission acknowledges that “Turkey and Greece have continued their efforts to improve their bilateral relations”, but stresses that “progress has been limited”, as “the threat of casus belli in response to the possible extension of Greek territorial waters made in the resolution adopted by the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 1995 still remains.” In this context, the Union, fully adopting the Greek position, urges “the avoidance of any kind of threat, source of friction or action which could damage good neighborly relations and the peaceful settlement of disputes.” Finally, the 2009 Report repeats that “a considerable number of formal complaints were made by Greece about continued violations of its airspace by Turkey, including flights over Greek islands”.

Cyprus: the thorn in the flesh of negotiations…

Since the Council’s decision of December 2006, Turkey has made no progress towards fully implementing the Additional Protocol to the Association Agreement and has kept its ports closed to vessels from the Republic of Cyprus despite several calls by the EU. As pointed out by the December 2008 Council conclusions, the Commission repeats in the 2009 Report that “it is now urgent that Turkey fulfils its obligation to ensure full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol.”

The Commission reminds that Turkey “has made no progress on normalizing bilateral relations with the Republic of Cyprus”, “continues to veto Cyprus’s membership of several international organizations and arrangements such as the Wassenaar Agreement on the Code of Conduct on Arms Exports and on Dual-Use Goods” and that during the reporting period “civilian vessels prospecting for oil on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus were hindered by the Turkish navy on several occasions”.

With regard to the negotiations between the leaders of the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities under the good offices of the UN Secretary-General, the 2009 Progress Report urges Turkey to actively support the ongoing negotiations and to take practical steps to contribute to creating a climate favorable to a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement of the Cyprus problem within the UN framework, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and in line with the principles on which the Union is founded.

Debating the Progress Report: business as usual?

The EU Commission appreciates the positive steps made by Turkey, but on the other hand, it pushes for further progress on a set of critical issues. However, the European Commission does not recommend sanctions on Turkey for failing to meet its formal commitments and does not propose measures which should be taken in December. On the other hand, as officially stated by the Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu, Turkey refuses to open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot ships and planes until negotiations on the status of the island have concluded.

In any case, EU heads of state will discuss the Report in December. For some European bureaucrats, the publication of the Progress Report was “business as usual”. But if Ankara fails to meet its commitments by December 2009, three years after the 2006 EU Council decision, its discussion will not.