| Author (Corporate) | European Commission: Press and Communication Service |
|---|---|
| Series Title | Press Release |
| Series Details | IP/04/1181 (6.10.04) |
| Publication Date | 06/10/2004 |
| Content Type | News |
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On the basis of a comprehensive report assessing the situation as regards human rights, democracy, the rule of law and the protection of minorities, the European Commission on 6 October 2004 recommended to start accession negotiations with Turkey, provided that certain key legislation which was in preparation entered into force. The Commission suggested a three pillar strategy to approach the negotiations: first, strengthened cooperation to reinforce and support the reform process in Turkey, second, negotiations adapted to the specific challenges related to Turkeys accession and finally a substantially strengthened political and cultural dialogue bringing people together from EU Member States and Turkey. While convinced that the accession process would be essential in guiding further reforms in Turkey, the European Commission underlined that accession negotiations are by its nature an open-ended process. The objective, accession, was clear but it could not be guaranteed beforehand. The Commission also presented an assessment of the effects of a possible accession of Turkey to the European Union, which concludes that such a prospect, while challenging for the EU and Turkey, could offer important opportunities for both if it is well managed. |
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| Source Link | http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/04/1180&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en |
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| Countries / Regions | Turkey |
