Pressure rises on Turkey’s EU course

Pressure on Turkey with respect to its EU accession course rose this week as the EU opened the chapter on the Customs Union with Croatia but not with Turkey.

The customs union chapter remains closed for Turkey because it has signed but not implemented the Ankara Protocol that would extend the EU-Turkey customs union to all new member states including Cyprus.

This is another indication that the unresolved Cyprus problem will continue to hamper Turkey’s accession negotiations.

Cyprus almost vetoed Turkey’s very first chapter on science and research in early June.

Turkey has said it will not implement the protocol unless restrictions on Turkish Cypriot trade are lifted. So far, Greek Cypriots have objected to opening up trade for northern Cyprus.

Speaking on Thursday, Cyprus’ foreign minister George Lillikas said “Turkey must help itself. Turkey cannot expect from Cyprus or any other European country to help, and at the same time to jeopardise its own course to the EU.”

Meanwhile, speaking in Brussels on the eve of its six-month presidency of the EU, Finland’s foreign minister Erkki Tuomiojasaid said that the deadline given to Turkey to fulfil its obligations will come to an end by the end of the year and that the EU expects Ankara to ratify the additional protocol.

“This is not a threat, but it would endanger the continuation of the negotiations,” Tuomioja said.