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TURKEY AND THE EUROPEAN UNION: REASONS FOR A HISTORIC CHOICE
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Turkey and the European Union: Reasons for a Historic Choice
6 and 7 December 2004
European Parliament, Brussels
On 17 December 2004, the European Council will decide on the modalities of opening accession negotiations with Turkey. This decision will be based on the recommendation of the European Commission of 6 October 2004, stating that Turkey sufficiently fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria and recommended to start accession negotiations, and on the opinion that the European Parliament will vote in plenary session, on 14 December 2004.
The final position of the EP will be taken on the basis of the report of MEP Eurlings, adopted on November 30 by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament by 50 votes to 18. This latter called for the opening accession negotiations with Turkey "without undue delay". Furthermore, the majority of the Committee rejected the idea of offering Turkey a "privileged partnership" instead of EU membership.
This position strengthens the recommendation of the European Commission and incorporates namely the key point of the written declaration tabled on October 13, pursuant to Article 116 of the EP Rules of Procedure, by five Members of the European Parliament, Emma Bonino (ALDE), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Greens), Bronislaw Geremek (ALDE), Joao de Deus Pinheiro (PPE) and Michel Rocard (PSE), from four of the principal political groups in the EP, and which has received until now the support of 150 MEPs of all groups.
To reinforce the importance of this process and its outcome, the International Conference convened on 6 and 7 December 2004 at the European Parliament in Brussels, at the initiative of two Italian Radical members of the ALDE Group of the EP, Emma Bonino and Marco Pannella, leaders of the Transnational Radical Party (TRP), will discuss pertinent issues facing the negotiation period for Turkey prior to the Council decision and the European Parliament vote.
The Conference will be made possible in large part thanks to the Liberals and Democrats Alliance Group of the European Parliament and has received the support of various other Members of the EP.
The international non-governmental organisation No Peace Without Justice, federated to the TRP, will act as the secretariat of the conference.
The Conference will be closed by Josep Borrell Fontelles, President of the European Parliament, and Mehmet Aydin, Minister of State and Professor of Religious Studies.
For more informations, please contact Nicola Giovannini: email TurkeyConference-Press@npwj.org, tel. +32 (0)486 783193, fax +32 (0)2 2849983.
6 and 7 December 2004
European Parliament, Brussels
On 17 December 2004, the European Council will decide on the modalities of opening accession negotiations with Turkey. This decision will be based on the recommendation of the European Commission of 6 October 2004, stating that Turkey sufficiently fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria and recommended to start accession negotiations, and on the opinion that the European Parliament will vote in plenary session, on 14 December 2004.
The final position of the EP will be taken on the basis of the report of MEP Eurlings, adopted on November 30 by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament by 50 votes to 18. This latter called for the opening accession negotiations with Turkey "without undue delay". Furthermore, the majority of the Committee rejected the idea of offering Turkey a "privileged partnership" instead of EU membership.
This position strengthens the recommendation of the European Commission and incorporates namely the key point of the written declaration tabled on October 13, pursuant to Article 116 of the EP Rules of Procedure, by five Members of the European Parliament, Emma Bonino (ALDE), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Greens), Bronislaw Geremek (ALDE), Joao de Deus Pinheiro (PPE) and Michel Rocard (PSE), from four of the principal political groups in the EP, and which has received until now the support of 150 MEPs of all groups.
To reinforce the importance of this process and its outcome, the International Conference convened on 6 and 7 December 2004 at the European Parliament in Brussels, at the initiative of two Italian Radical members of the ALDE Group of the EP, Emma Bonino and Marco Pannella, leaders of the Transnational Radical Party (TRP), will discuss pertinent issues facing the negotiation period for Turkey prior to the Council decision and the European Parliament vote.
The Conference will be made possible in large part thanks to the Liberals and Democrats Alliance Group of the European Parliament and has received the support of various other Members of the EP.
The international non-governmental organisation No Peace Without Justice, federated to the TRP, will act as the secretariat of the conference.
The Conference will be closed by Josep Borrell Fontelles, President of the European Parliament, and Mehmet Aydin, Minister of State and Professor of Religious Studies.
For more informations, please contact Nicola Giovannini: email TurkeyConference-Press@npwj.org, tel. +32 (0)486 783193, fax +32 (0)2 2849983.
