Camiel EURLINGS (EPP-ED, NL)
Report on the 2004 regular report and the recommendation of the
European Commission on Turkey’s progress towards accession
(COM(2004)0656 – C6-0148/2004 – 2004/2182(INI))
Doc.: A6-0063/2004
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Procedure : Own initiative
Debate : 13.12.2004
Vote : 15.12.2004
Vote
The EU should begin accession negotiations with Turkey “without undue
delay”. Two days before a decision by the European Council, MEPs
adopted a resolution saying that Turkey has made impressive progress
in respecting the political criteria, enough for negotiations on EU
membership to start. The resolution was adopted by 407 votes in
favour, 262 against and 29 abstentions in a secret ballot (under rule
162 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure).
Nevertheless, Parliament acknowledged that problems continue to exist,
such as regarding minority rights, religious freedoms, trade union
rights, women’s rights, the role of the army, Cyprus and the relations
with Armenia. Therefore it stressed that, in the first phase of
negotiations, priority should be given to the full application of the
political criteria. In case of serious breaches of the political
criteria, negotiations must be suspended. MEPs also underlined that
starting negotiations will not automatically result in Turkey’s
accession and that appropriate ways will have to be found “to ensure
that Turkey remains fully anchored in European structures”, should
negotiations not be successfully concluded.
MEPs were satisfied that Turkey had fulfilled a number of
recommendations and requirements included in earlier EP resolutions,
such as the abolition of the death penalty; the extension of
important fundamental rights and freedoms, reduction of the role of
the National Security Council and the lifting of the state of
emergency in the south-east. But they said that Turkey still had to
adopt further reforms and put these, as well as current reforms, into
practice. Thus it would have to lift all remaining restrictions on
broadcasting and education in minority languages; put an end to the
discrimination of religious minorities; completely eradicate torture;
draft a new constitution; lower the threshold of ten percent in
parliamentary elections; disband the village guard system in the
south-east; apply ILO standards for trade union rights; limit the
role of the army further; continue the process of reconciliation with
Armenia; and recognise the Republic of Cyprus. MEPs also mention ed
the eradication of violence against women, freedom of expression and
press freedom as issues they would monitor closely.
The Parliament also referred to earlier conclusions of EU government
leaders that “the Union’s capacity to absorb new members while
maintaining the momentum of European integration constitutes an
important criterion for accession, from the point of view both of the
Union and of candidates for accession”. And it noted that Turkey could
only become a member after the EU’s long-term budget planning for the
period from 2014 onwards has been decided upon.
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e-mail : [email protected]
&
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(Strasbourg) tel.(33-3) 881 74337
(Brussels) tel.(32-2) 28 44304
e-mail : [email protected]
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress