Press Release: EU-Turkey: Need to re-engage in reforms in line with EU standards

On 10 April 2014, Štefan Füle, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, met with Turkish Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in Brussels to discuss how to intensify the dialogue on key elements of EU-Turkey relations. Before their meeting they both participated in the session of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee.

In the bilateral meeting they agreed on close cooperation in areas of mutual benefit for the EU and Turkey, in particular in the area of rule of law. Commissioner Füle expressed the EU's concerns about recent developments in Turkey that undermined the independence of the judiciary and freedom of expression.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: State of EU-Turkey relations: achievements and disappointments http://www.europeansources.info/record/speech-state-of-eu-turkey-relations-achievements-and-disappointments/

European Commission: RAPID: SPEECH/14/317: Mutual benefits of the EU-Turkey Customs Union http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-14-317_en.pdf

ESO: Background information: Erdogan paves way for Turkish surveillance state http://www.europeansources.info/record/erdogan-paves-way-for-turkish-surveillance-state/

ESO: Background information: Turkey’s Constitutional Court overturns controversial judicial bill http://www.europeansources.info/record/turkeys-constitutional-court-overturns-controversial-judicial-bill/

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