Press Release: European Commission opens negotiations with Turkey upon accession to the Energy Community

On 9 September 2009, a Turkish delegation lead by Mr Yusuf Yazar, Deputy Undersecretary for Energy, met in Vienna with a European Commission negotiating team headed by Mr Fabrizio Barbaso, Deputy Director General for Energy, for a first negotiating session in view of Turkey's accession to the Energy Community Treaty. 'Turkey is carrying out fundamental reforms in order to address its huge energy challenge. Turkey is well prepared and has an important role to play in the Energy Community. I hope that the negotiations will proceed swiftly and could be concluded in the coming months,' commented Commissioner Piebalgs.