The Political Implications of the European Integration of Turkey ...

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The Political Implications of the European Integration of Turkey ...

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• Publié par: uhezyxuk
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• Langue: English
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European Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 20, Number 1 (2011)     The Political Implications of the European Integration of Turkey: Political Scenarios and Major Stumbling Blocks     Gökhan Saz Center for Business Studies, University of Vienna, Brünner Strasse 72 A-1210, Vienna, Austria E-mail: [e-mail]  

   

Abstract We present a study on the current and prospective political implications of the European integration of Turkey. Our analysis is focused on a qualitative scenario approach to elicit the political effects for both negotiation parties and we successfully frame the major political frictions in the form ofIslamophobia andTurkophobia in Europe, the European contentions stemming from the recentneo-Ottoman foreign policy of Turkey, the unresolvedCyprus issue, thevisa liberalization   issueand risingEuroscepticismin Turkey. We provide a mutual mitigation strategy to overcome a possible deadlock in the negotiation process and give an outlook on the current and prospective political developments that have a potential to change the political landscape in Turkey. The emphasis of our argumentations centers on the recent Turkish foreign policy reorientation, as this manifests a paradigmatic change in the form of an unprecedented opening and increased mediating role of Turkey in global politics. In consequence, we offer an insight to the principles of the new Turkish foreign policy and to neo-Ottomanism.     Keywords: EU and Turkey, European integration of Turkey, Turkish politics, Turkish foreign policy,   1. Introduction The political implications of the European integration of Turkey is currently a central theme in the political realms of the EU and Turkey and has far reaching consequences that directly touches the sentiments of more than half a billion people in Europe and Turkey. More than that, the political significance of Turkey’s integration into the EU is lifted by the notions of the Huntingtonian clash of civilizations to the global political landscape, which ultimately effects the half of mankind, as any decision along the lines of the integration of a predominantly Muslim country into a traditionally Christian domain leads the way to potentially part or unite the civilizatory ways of Muslims and Christians across the globe. From this point of view, the fundamental importance of the integrative decision making process becomes the epitome of the apprehension that it is we who stand at the civilizational crossroads of bequeathing future generations the apposite values for a peaceful coexistence of different cultures and religions, whether Turkey belongs to Europe or Europe belongs to Turkey, whether Muslims are embraced by Christians or Christians embraced by Muslims and whether the people of Europe should be united or divided in diversity. For the first time in the enlargement history of the European Union, the public and political tempers are more than highly flared on the questions surrounding the EU aspirations of Turkey and the opinions differ widely within as well across the EU nations if Turkey really belongs to Europe. The recent political blockades in the integration process of Turkey have significantly contributed to the deterioration of the public attitudes towards a bleaker outlook for the quest of Turkey. The negative

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European Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 20, Number 1 (2011   ) sentiments in Europe in turn have spilled over to the public opinion in Turkey, which is increasingly found to be skeptic about the EU agenda. By these and many other reasons, Turkey’s quest for EU membership and its political implications is a most intriguing field of study not only for the intellectually curious but also for every world citizen who is ascribed to understand the future path of humanity. It remains to be seen if the current divide is insurmountable or just a tentative public specter, which can be balked with a healthy amount of volition and spirit. An answer to these questions and the political implications of the integration of Turkey will be given as we proceed with our analysis shortly. Our studycontributes three fronts to the existing literature. onFirst, we provide a qualitative overview on the recent developments in the political acquis communautaire process.Second, we extend the methodology of the political scenario approach of (ESI 2010) to accommodate a more thorough analysis on the chances and risks of the European integration process of Turkey. By doing this, we also provide a study on the recent Turkish foreign policy reorientation and its associated political implications for both parties. The extension of the scenario methodology allows for a broader analysis of the true antagonisms that impede the current political relationship.Thirdwe endeavor in identifying the major stumbling blocks and frictions along the political integration process and provide an outlook for a potential mitigation of the conflict zones between the EU and Turkey. The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. Section 2 gives an overview on the status quo of the negotiation framework of the acquis communautaire process. Section 3 provides a thorough qualitative approach to break down the political scenarios of the integration process. In the subsections to section 3 we analyze neo-Ottomanism in more detail and review the principles of the new Turkish foreign policy. Section 4 puts the contemporary and prospective developments in Turkish politics into perspective. In section 5 we pinpoint the major stumbling blocks in the relationship of Turkey and the EU. Section 6 develops a timeline for Turkey’s EU quest and section 7 concludes by providing a summary and an outlook.     2. The Implementation of the Acquis Communautaire The official commencement of the implementation of theacquis communautaire, which is literally the total body of EU law that was “collectively accomplished” orcommunity patrimony, began in October 2005 with the formal start of the EU accession process of Turkey. 1  the accession Conceptionally, negotiation is embedded into a negotiation framework, which describes the methodology and the guiding principles for the conduct of the talks between the EU and Turkey. The subject matter of each chapter in the negotiation process is discussed in intergovernmental conferences between the member states and Turkey. An additional requirement that lies at the heart of the negotiation process is the simultaneous fulfillment of the Copenhagen criteria. 2  In case of Turkey the negotiation process was started on grounds of the sufficient fulfillment of the political Copenhagen criterion, which is the main prerequisite to open talks. Normally, this political criterion must be met in full before the start of accession talks, however, Turkey was given an unprecedented special status in this regard and a trend toward fulfillment sufficed (ESI 2010).

                                                  1  This section is based on the information of the accession process as provided by the European commission(http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/enlargement_process/accession_process/how_does_a_country_jointhe_eu/, _ 17.11.2010).  2  The summary of the Copenhagen criteria is as follows.Political:The stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;Economic:the existence of a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union;Community acquis:the ability to take on the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union and the administrative capacity to effectively apply and implement the acquis. (Source: http://europa.eu/scadplus/glossary/accession_criteria_copenhague_en.htm, (16.11.2010)) 48

European Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 20, Number 1 (2011)   In the first phase of the negotiation process so calledscreening sessions were conducted in form of meetings between the European commission (EC) and Turkey to explain the steps that Turkey needs to endeavor for a proper implementation of the specific acquis chapters. Each chapter related meetings are divided into anexplanatory general meeting the EC and all candidate countries where gather and intobilateral meetingsEC and a single candidate country come together. The where the explanatory meeting is informative in the sense that the EC explains the specific chapter and clarifies the requirements for the fulfillment. After one month, the bilateral meetings are held where the candidate country presents its plans for the implementation and its legal status quo on the relevant chapter. Reports of these meetings are drafted by the EC to assess the readiness to open up the relevant chapter for negotiation. In general, the acquis communautaire contains all the EU principles such as political objectives of the treaties, legislation, decisions adopted, case law, legally binding acts, interinstitutional agreements, resolutions, statements, recommendations, guidelines, declarations, conclusions within the framework of the common foreign and security policy and acts agreed within the framework of justice and home affairs. 3 this regard, Turkey is required to standardize its administration and state In  institutions to European levels in order to enable the efficient implementation of the acquis. The acquis communautaire and its current implementation state as of mid 2010 for Turkey is listed in the following:   Table 1:The acquis communautaire process for Turkey   Chapters Open Closed Blocked in and by Reason 1. Free movement of goods - - 11.12.2006, Council Non-ratification of Cyprus protocol 2. Freedom of movement of - - 08.12.2009, Cyprus Non-ratification of Cyprus protocol workers 3. Right of establishment and - - 11.12.2006, Council Non-ratification of Cyprus protocol freedom to provide services 4. Free movement of capital 19.12.2008 - - - 5. Public procurement - - 6. Company law 17.06.2008 - - - 7. Intellectual property rights 17.06.2008 - - - 8. Competition policy - - 9. Financial services - - 11.12.2006, Council Non-ratification of Cyprus protocol 10. Information society and media 19.12.2008 - - - 11. Agriculture and rural - - 11.12.2006, Council Non-ratification of Cyprus protocol development  12. Food safety, veterinary and 30.06.2010 - - -     phytosanoitary policy 13. Fisheries - - 11.12.2006, Council Non-ratification of Cyprus protocol 14. Tansport policy - - 11.12.2006, Council Non-ratification of Cyprus protocol 15. Energy - - 08.12.2009, Cyprus Non-ratification of Cyprus protocol 16. Taxation 30.06.2009 - 17. Economic and monetary policy - - 25.06.2007, France Advocation of privileged partnership 18. Statistics 26.06.2007 - -- 19. Social policy and employment - - - - 20. Enterprise and industrial policy 29.03.2007 - - - 21. Trans-European networks 19.12.2007 - - - 22. Regional policy and - - 25.06.2007, France Advocation of privileged partnership coordination of structural instruments 23. Judiciary and fundamental - rights 24. Justice, freedom and security -                                                     3 _jointrye_eun_th_wod/sohc_uosea_iossceacesocprn__tnemegr/ssecorpgen/aitonoitc_sne/tnealnealgrmeropa.eu/://ec.euptth roatia_tu rkey/index_en.htm, (17.11.2010) 49  

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08.12.2009, Cyprus Non-ratification of Cyprus protocol 08.12.2009, Cyprus Non-ratification of Cyprus protocol