Turkey-EU accession talks: Sadly, the status quo is the best we have / Why the EU would still benefit from Turkish accession

In a non-binding vote on 6 July 2017, the European Parliament called for the suspension of EU accession talks with Turkey if it fully implemented proposed constitutional changes that would increase President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s powers.

Dimitar Bechev stated that the reality was Turkey’s membership talks had already failed, but the EU’s best strategy was nevertheless to preserve the status quo as cancelling the process would do more harm than good.

See also the related url hyperlink to a separate blog article Why the EU would still benefit from Turkish accession

The July 2017 vote in the European Parliament called for the suspension of EU accession talks with Turkey if it fully implements proposed constitutional changes that would increase President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s powers. Tahir Abbas argues that although both sides appear to be drifting apart, the EU would still have a lot to gain from Turkish membership.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Is the EU-Turkey Refugee Deal on the Ropes? http://www.europeansources.info/record/judy-asks-is-the-eu-turkey-refugee-deal-on-the-ropes/

Robert Schuman Foundation: European Issues, No.437, June 2017: European Union-Turkey: from an illusory membership to a 'Privileged Partnership' http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-union-turkey-from-an-illusory-membership-to-a-privileged-partnership/

ESO: Background information: What line should the EU take with Turkey? http://www.europeansources.info/record/what-line-should-the-eu-take-with-turkey/

ESO: Background information: What impact can Berlin have on the AKP regime? http://www.europeansources.info/record/what-impact-can-berlin-have-on-the-akp-regime/

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 08.08.17: Why the EU would still benefit from Turkish accession http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2017/08/08/why-the-eu-would-still-benefit-from-turkish-accession/

EurActiv, 29.08.17: Juncker says Erdogan’s Turkey taking giant steps away from EU http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/juncker-says-erdogans-turkey-taking-giant-steps-away-from-eu/

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