Turkey has warned that it will rethink its customs union with the EU

Date: 08/07/1999

unless it is confirmed as a candidate for Union membership at December's Helsinki summit. Foreign ministry sources in Ankara say that if Turkey's hopes are dashed, it will try to replace the four-year-old accord with a free-trade agreement. This would allow Turkey to continue to trade with the Union, one of its biggest commercial partners, but would avoid the need to comply with complex and expensive EU product regulations.