No EU accession progress without reforms in Türkiye

Türkiye lacking EU accession momentum due to democratic backsliding

MEPs call for action on rule of law, rights and judicial independence

Need for stronger EU response and continued strategic cooperation

Committee on Foreign Affairs MEPs warn of continued democratic backsliding in Türkiye and call for reforms and a stronger EU response.

Although EU enlargement policy is currently regaining momentum, Türkiye is missing this window of opportunity due to a lack of democratic reforms, the Committee on Foreign Affairs concludes in a report adopted on Wednesday.

Despite the Turkish government’s repeated statements reaffirming its commitment to EU membership, key shortcomings affecting the accession process remain unaddressed, the report says. MEPs call on the Turkish government to tackle persistent deficiencies in the areas of the rule of law, human rights, democratic standards, freedom of the press and other fundamental freedoms, as well as to respect good neighbourly relations and international law. They stress, in particular, the need to strengthen judicial independence, safeguard freedom of expression, protect journalists and the rights of local authorities, and put an end to politically motivated trials.

The report also criticises the limited response of other EU institutions and many member states to these developments, urging them to take a stronger and more vocal stance in defence of democratic standards and the rule of law in Türkiye.

Strategic and geopolitical importance

Although the accession process has been at a standstill since 2018, Türkiye remains a country of strategic and geopolitical importance and a NATO ally, MEPs stress. Pointing to its growing presence and influence in areas critical to international security and EU strategic interests, such as the Black Sea region, including Ukraine, the South Caucasus and the Middle East, the report highlights the importance of reinforcing EU-Türkiye cooperation on regional security matters, particularly in light of the evolving geopolitical landscape.

Moreover, the report addresses EU-Türkiye relations beyond the accession process in areas of mutual interest, reiterating its call for the resumption of all relevant high-level dialogues and the establishment of structured dialogues on sectoral cooperation to address common challenges. The MEPs also call for the modernisation of the customs union, and highlight the importance of Turkish compliance with outstanding benchmarks to restart the visa liberalisation process. The report also calls on the EU and member states to maintain and, where possible, increase financial assistance, stepping up support for Turkish civil society and refugee-led organisations.

Quote

The rapporteur Sancho Nachez Amor (S&D, Spain) said: “Although we see no reason to resume the accession process, given the deterioration in democratic standards and the increasing repression of the opposition and critical voices, there is a window of opportunity to make progress on the rest of the bilateral sectoral agenda. Closer cooperation on foreign policy is essential to achieving further progress on security and defence. We also hope to see progress in the ongoing ‘Terror-free Türkiye’ initiative, but this requires determination and a willingness to take risks.”

The committee report was adopted by 44 votes in favour and 10 against, with 17 abstentions.

Parliament as a whole will vote on the report at one of its upcoming plenary sessions.