DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
BRUSSEL IS VERY FAMILIAR CITY FOR ME.
I COME TO BRUSSEL SINCE 1995, 4-6 TIMES IN E YEAR. AND TODAY,
I AM PLEASED TO BE IN BRUSSEL AND IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT.
I HAVE DIFFERENT CARTE VISIT, ACTIVITIES
I AM IN FRONT OF YOU AS A BOARD MEMBER OF EUROTEX , AND MY TASK TODAY IS TO ANALYZE TURKEY’S STAND VIS-À-VIS THE EUROPEAN UNION AND IF POSSIBLE TRY TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP.
THIS WILL NOT BE AN ACADEMIC SPEECH.
BUT ALLOW ME TO QUOTE FROM ENVER HIRSCH, THE SON OF PROF. ERNST HIRSCH, A WORLD KNOWN EXPERT ON COMMERCIAL LAW WHO, IN 1933, PERSECUTED UNDER THE NAZI REGIME, COULD ONLY FIND ASYLUM IN TURKEY.
HIS SON, ENVER, WAS BORN THERE AND DURING A SEMINAR IN LAST DECEMBER, HE HAD THIS TO SAY: “MY BIGGEST WISH WOULD BE FOR TO BECOME A FULL MEMBER OF THE EU. THIS WOULD BE THE NATURAL ENDING OF A PROCESS WHICH STARTED IN 1933 WHEN ACCEPTED 200 PERSECUTED GERMAN ACADEMIC JEWS OF WORLD STANDARD.”
THE ISSUE IS ACTUALLY VERY SIMPLE: WHAT SHOULD BE DONE BY BOTH SIDES IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL?
THE EU PROGRESS REPORT PUBLISHED ON NOVEMBER 5TH IS NOT BRILLIANT. IN SHORT IT SAYS THAT REFORM AGENDA IS LIMITED AND THAT THE REFORM PROCESS ITSELF SHOULD BE ACCELERATED IN 2009.
WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT ’S MARKET ECONOMY IS FUNCTIONING WELL,
IT ALSO SAYS THAT ’S ECONOMIC STABILITY HAS NOT REACHED THE ANTICIPATED LEVEL.
IT ALSO RECOMMENDS THAT ’S ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY BE IMPROVED.
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IN MY OPINION, THIS PROGRESS REPORT IS ONLY TOUCHING A SMALL PART OF THE STORY. THE TURKISH INSTITUTION IN CHARGE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH EU, “IKV”, HAD THIS TO SAY IN RESPONSE TO IT:
“THIS PROGRESS REPORT CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A NON-PROGRESS REPORT, AND IS MAKING VERY FEW PROPOSALS.
IT OVERLOOKS SOME IMPORTANT PROBLEMS AND SO DOES NOT MAKE ANY CONTRIBUTION TO THEIR SOLUTION. THE EU IN ITS ENLARGEMENT POLICY TO LACKS STRATEGIC VISION.
IT RATHER SEEMS THAT INERTIA HAS BECOME EU’S POLICY.
I WAS NOT BORN AT THAT TIME BUT MY FATHER, PROF. ORAN, A MEDICAL PROFESSOR, WAS ALWAYS REMINDING ME THAT ’S APPLICATION TO THE EU WAS FIRST MADE IN 1959, SIX MONTHS AFTER ’S APPLICATION.
AND THE ANKARA AGREEMENT, THE FIRST AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EU AND , CELEBRATED ITS 45TH ANNIVERSARY LAST NOVEMBER.
SO, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AND THE EU IS ONLY SEVEN YEARS YOUNGER THAT THE EU ITSELF!
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THE INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP IN ITS STATEMENT RELEASED ON DECEMBER 15 2008, IS ASKING WHY THE SPEED OF THE EU/TURKEY RELATIONSHIP HAS NOT YET REACHED THE LEVEL EXPECTED.
IT THEN SUMMARIZES THE STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED BY IN 5 POINTS:
1. THE INTERVENTION OF THE MILITARY IN PUBLIC LIFE SHOULD BE ELIMINATED
2. THE JUSTICE SYSTEM SHOULD BE REFORMED IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A REAL IMPLEMENTATION OF JUSTICE
3. HUMAN RIGHTS SHOULD BE RESPECTED
4. RIGHT OF CULTURAL EXPRESSION SHOULD BE GRANTED TO THE KURDISH MINORITY
5. DEMOCRACY SHOULD BE APPLIED IN THE INTERNAL FUNCTIONING OF THE POLITICAL PARTIES AND THE 10% THRESHOLD SHOULD BE ELIMINATED.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, TO THESE MAIN STEPS, WE, THE BUSINESS WORLD OF , HAVE NO OBJECTIONS.
ON THE CONTRARY, WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT ACHIEVING THESE GOALS WILL BE PROFITABLE FOR US.
BUT ALLOW ME TO ADD (3) MORE POINTS WHICH FOR THE BUSINESS WORLD AT LEAST ARE IMPORTANT AND HAVE NOT BEEN TOUCHED BY THESE VARIOUS REPORTS:
FTA (FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS)
SINCE TURKEY IS PART OF THE CUSTOMS UNION AND ADJUSTS ITS TRADE POLICY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT OF THE UNION, THE FOREIGN TRADE OF TURKEY WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS (FTA) CONDUCTED BETWEEN THE UNION AND THE THIRD COUNTRIES. HOWEVER, IS NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE PART IN THE FTA NEGOTIATIONS AND DECISION MAKING MECHANISMS SINCE IT IS NOT A MEMBER STATE YET. IN THIS RESPECT, THE FTA BETWEEN THE EU AND , , , , CHINA ETC. COULD POTENTIALLY CREATE UNFAIR COMPETITION IN CONDITIONS IN FAVOUR OF THE THIRD PARTY COUNTRIES.
TURKEY SHOULD BE EİTHER A DİRECT PARTY OF FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS EUROPEAN UNİON HAS SİGNED WİTH THİRD PARTY COUNTRİES OR TO MAKE FTA WİTH THİRD PARTY COUNTRİES SİMULTENAOUSLY.
EVENTUALLY, THE PRESENT STATUS AND PRACTİCES OF EU’S FTA’S ARE NOT İN ACCORDANCE WİTH THE CUSTOMS UNİON PRİNCİPLES.
TRUCK QUOTAS OF EXPORT TO EU
LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, THE TRUCK QUOTAS IMPOSED UPON
TURKISH ROADTRANSPORTERS ARE ANOTHER SERIOUS ISSUE. THE SITUATION THAT THE TURKISH TRANSPORTATION SECTOR FACES IN LIGHT OF THE DELIBERATE VIOLATIONS OF THE STANDSTILL CLAUSE IS EXTREMELY UNSETTLING. CONSEQUENTLY , THE QUOTA RESTRICTIONS OF ANY KIND TO TURKISH TRUCKS AND TREMENDOUSLY CUMBERSOME VISA REQUIREMENTS WITH REGARDS TO THEIR DRIVERS CREATE A SERIOUS OBSTACLE FOR THE FREE MOVEMENT OF GOODS, AND CONSEQUENTLY ARE AGAINST THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THE CUSTOMS UNION IS BASED. THE TRUCK QUOTAS EFFECT NEGATIVELY THE FREE CIRCULATION OF GOODS. BESIDES , THE TRUCK PASSAGE LICENCE FEE’S AS IN THE BULGARIAN CASE SHOULD BE REGARDED AS CUSTOMS TAX WHICH IS ALSO AGAINST CUSTOM UNION PRINCIPLES. ALL ABOVE MENTIONED RESTRICTIONS AND APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE REGARDED AS TECHNICAL NON-TARIFF-BARRIERS , WHICH IS UNFAIR AND UNACCEPTABLE TOWARDS TURKEY AS BEING A FULL – MEMBER CANDIDATE .
TRANSPORTERS ARE ANOTHER SERIOUS ISSUE. THE SITUATION THAT THE TURKISH TRANSPORTATION SECTOR FACES IN LIGHT OF THE DELIBERATE VIOLATIONS OF THE IS EXTREMELY UNSETTLING. THE TRUCK QUOTAS EFFECT NEGATIVELY THE FREE CIRCULATION OF GOODS. BESIDES , THE TRUCK PASSAGE LICENCE FEE’S AS IN THE BULGARIAN CASE SHOULD BE REGARDED AS CUSTOMS TAX WHICH IS ALSO AGAINST CUSTOM UNION PRINCIPLES
VİSA
FIRST OF ALL, THE VISA REQUIREMENT FOR TURKISH CITIZENS (ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE INVOLVED IN BUSINESS) IS AN OBSTACLE FOR MUTUAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTS BETWEEN TURKISH ENTREPRENEURS AND EU COUNTER PARTS. CONSIDERING THAT GOODS ARE IN FREE CIRCULATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE UNION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CUSTOMS UNION, THE ABUSIVE RESTRICTIONS IN FORCE FOR BUSINESSMEN WHO WISH TO ATTEND TRADE FAIRS, PARTICIPATE IN TENDERS, ARRANGE APPOINTMENTS OR SIGN AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACTS ARE TAMPERING WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF FREE MOVEMENT OF GOODS.
WE EXPERİENCE THAT WHEN TURKİSH BUSİNESSMEN APPLY FOR VİSA APPLİCATİONS FOR BUSİNESS TRİPS AND FAİRS AND EXHİBİTİONS, CONFERENCESS ETC TAKEN PLACE İN EU COUNTRİES. OUR BUSİNESSMEN FACE EXCESSIVE VISA REQUIREMENTS AND FEES , BUREAUCRATİC DİFFİCULTİES AND EXCESSİVE PAPER WORK. (INCLUDING FEES COLLECTED BY INTERMEDIARY AGENTS OR APPLICATION CENTRES, MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS AND INSURANCE DOCUMENTS ETC) AND A LOT OF DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR VISA APPLICATIONS (INCLUDING BANK ACCOUNT INFORMATION, CREDIT CARD INFOS, TITLE DEEDS, OR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE REGISTRATION) WHICH IS CERTAINLY A BARRIER FOR THEIR VISA REQUESTS. WE HAVE EXTREME AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS FROM OUR MEMBERS REGARDING THESE PROBLEMS. ON THE OTHER HAND ACCORDING TO THE ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL THAT IS SIGNED WITH EU AND , ARTICLE 41 FIRST PARAGRAPH MENTIONS THAT “THE PARTIES WILL NOT CREATE ADDITIONAL CONSTRAINTS THAT HAS NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THE FREE CIRCULATION OF SERVICES AND THE RIGHT OF PEOPLE TO STAY”
EUROPEAN COMMISSION SHOULD THEREFORE TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF TURKISH CITIZENS STEMMING FROM ASSOCIATION LAW (NOTABLY ART. 41/1 OF THE ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL-STANDSTILL CLAUSE) AND CONFIRMED BY THE EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE FOR SEVERAL TIMES.
ALTHOUGH BUSINESSMEN FROM MOST MEMBER STATES ENTER WITH NO RESTRICTIONS, TURKISH BUSINESSMEN AND INDUSTRIALISTS FACE MAJOR PROBLEMS IN OBTAINING VISAS. THIS SITUATION CREATES UNFAIR COMPETITION.
I DON’T LIKE TO HEAR THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES:
“ EU’S PROCESSING OF IS ENDING” OR “2009 WILL BE A MAKE OR BREAK YEAR ”.
THESE SENTENCES CONVEY NO MEANING BECAUSE ENDING OUR RELATIONSHIP WOULD BE VERY COSTLY FOR BOTH OF US.
BOTH SIDES ARE NOW ACTING “AS IF” THEY WERE DOING THEIR HOMEWORK IN THE NEGOTIATIONS AND THIS GRADUALLY BRINGS US TO THE “SPECIAL STATUS” ENVISAGED BY SOME.
LET ME SAY VERY CLEARLY THAT SUCH A “SPECIAL STATUS” HAS NO MEANING FOR US, THE TURKISH BUSINESS WORLD, AND WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE BY TURKISH OPINION.
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IN ORDER TO GIVE MOMENTUM TO THE TALKS, I WOULD RATHER PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING STRATEGY BASED ON 2 POINTS:
1. HAS TO CHANGE ITS WAY OF HANDLING THE NEGOTIATIONS. IT SEEMS THAT THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT TAKES THEM VERY LIGHTLY, I WOULD SAY ALMOST AS A “PART TIME” ACTIVITY. IT SHOULD INSTEAD TAKE THE EU ISSUE AS ONE OF ITS MAIN FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES AND DEVOTE MORE RESOURCES AND TIME TO IT.
2. BOTH SIDES SHOULD AGREE ON A MEMBERSHIP DATE, 2013 OR 2014.
A SIMILAR DATE HAD BEEN FIRST SET BY THE EU WHEN IT ACCEPTED TURKEY AS A FULL MEMBER CANDIDATE, BUT THANKS TO CHANCELLOR MERKEL’S PROPOSAL OF A “SPECIAL STATUS FOR TURKEY”,
IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED. SETTING A DEADLINE IS
ONE WAYTO SHOW HOW SERIOUS YOU ARE AND IT HELPS TO REACH THE GOAL.
TO SHOW HOW SERIOUS YOU ARE AND IT HELPS TO REACH THE GOAL.
SUCH A DEADLINE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN SET FOR AND . SHOULD WE UNDERSTAND THIS AS ANOTHER SPECIAL STATUS FOR ?
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS!
ACCORDING TO A REAL EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHER, PROF EDGAR MORIN,
THE MEMBERSHIP OF IS A NECESSITY FOR EUROPE .
FOR HIM, THE OBJECTIONS TO THIS FULL MEMBERSHIP ARE BASED ON A LACK OF INFORMATION AND A MISREPRESENTATION OF HISTORY.
IS VERY OFTEN PERCEIVED AS AN ASIATIC COUNTRY, WHILE THE OTTOMANS WERE A EUROPEAN FORCE AND, AS SUCH, PLAYED A PRIME ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENTS OF EUROPEAN HISTORY.
I DON’T THINK THAT I OR ANY OF YOU WOULD HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT.
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I WOULD LIKE TO QUOTE A FAMOUS EUROPEAN STATESMAN, ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE EU, DE GAULLE,
WHO SPOKE OF A EUROPEAN HOUSE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE
“FROM THE ATLANTIC OCEAN TO THE URAL MOUNTAINS ”.
AND AS A MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN HOUSEHOLD, A TURK FROM EUROPE , I EXTEND MY GREETINGS TO YOU.
