European Union Accession Process Research Articles

AB-Türkiye İlişkileri Bağlamında Ermenilerin Kimlik İnşasına Yeniden Bakış

This article critically analyses the reconstruction of the Armenian identity in the context of reforms in Turkey's European Union (EU) accession process. Within the scope of the research, in order to understand the cultural, ethnic and religious identity construction processes of the Armenian community in Istanbul, the existing academic literature on Armenians in Turkey has been analysed in detail, and field research based on observation and in-depth interviews has been conducted. In line with the historical background ranging from the Ottoman millet system to the Republic's policies of creating a homogenous nation, from the democratisation movement to the EU accession process, the construction process of Armenian identity has been analysed in three stages in the light of the relevant theoretical debates. Firstly, the historical development of different legal statuses evolving from non-Muslims to minorities is analysed; secondly, the reform process brought about by the EU membership process is examined. While analysing this process, the basic dynamics that contributed to the formation of Armenian identity were first identified. Secondly the prominent changes in the legal, political, social and cultural fields that accelerated the reconstruction of the Armenian community's identity by the EU reform process were tried to be identified. Finally, the social dilemmas experienced in the aftermath of the reforms are analysed and the ongoing identity struggle of the Armenian community is outlined. While the EU membership process allows the Armenian community in Turkey to express their identities more openly and freely, social insecurity and dilemmas prevent this process from being fully realised. The study analyses the theoretical approaches to identity construction and the political, economic, social and cultural transformations experienced by the Armenian community in Turkey and offers suggestions on the processes of identity struggle. In particular, it is emphasised that overcoming social insecurities and dilemmas is critical for the sustainable survival of Armenian identity. In this context, it is concluded that more inclusive and supportive policies should be developed in order to preserve the Armenian identity and increase its social acceptance. Key Words: Identity, European Union, Türkiye, Armenian identity, minority

ASSESSING THE ROLE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION'S ENLARGEMENT POLICY TOWARDS CANDIDATE COUNTRIES

This article explores the role of human rights in the process of enlargement of the European Union (EU) and its impact on candidate countries. The EU pays considerable attention to the protection and promotion of human rights, making them a fundamental aspect of its values and principles. Through the adoption of framework conditions such as the Copenhagen Criteria, the EU evaluates the acceptability of candidate countries based on their commitment to democracy, the rule of law, human rights and minority rights. The article highlights the progress made in promoting human rights in the EU enlargement process and discusses the importance of effective monitoring and dialogue mechanisms to ensure compliance with human rights standards. The EU uses tools such as progress reports and assessments to assess the progress of candidate countries and engage in constructive dialogue to promote necessary reforms. To analyze the impact of human rights on the EU accession process, this study focuses on three candidate countries: Albania, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

EU Accession Criteria and Procedures: Up for the Challenge?

The article comprehensively analyses the evolution and challenges surrounding the criteria and procedures for accession to the European Union (EU). It traces the historical trajectory of EU accession criteria and procedures from pre- to post-Copenhagen phase. The article scrutinizes the emergence and formalization of democratic principles in EU accession and the various ongoing adjustments made to adapt to the changing circumstances, highlighting the multistep accession procedures and the introduction of flexibility, reversibility, and uncertainty into the process. While navigating the complexities of the evolving accession criteria and procedures, we address the many criticisms and plausible future developments. The article underscores the need for a return to the core normative accession criteria on democracy and the rule of law principles as a way to restore credibility and consistency in the EU accession process.

ANALYSIS OF THE EXPERIENCE OF SOME EU MEMBER STATES OR IN THE PROGRESS OF ACCESSION TO THE EU – ANTICIPATED CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES FOR THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA

The process of joining the European Union (EU) represents a complex and significant undertaking for the candidate countries, and the experience of this process can be influenced by a variety of socioeconomic, political and institutional factors. In the context of the Republic of Moldova, which has shown an increased interest in joining the EU, there is an opportunity to learn from the experience of other EU member states that have gone through the accession process in the past. These countries, which have already become EU members, or are candidate states, “have navigated” through similar stages of negotiation, implementation of reforms and adjustment to the standards and requirements of the European community. Their experiences provide a valuable source of information and perspectives for the Republic of Moldova in its own accession process. By analyzing the research and the problems encountered in the EU accession process in other member states, this article aims to identify learned lessons, anticipated challenges and the effective strategies that could be applied in the specific context of the Republic of Moldova.

Pınar BEDİRHANOGLU, Çağlar DÖLEK, Funda HÜLAGÜ and Özlem KAYGUSUZ (Eds.), Turkey’s New State in the Making: Transformations in Legality, Economy, and Coercion (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020)

Turkey’s political history has seen recurring shifts between democratic ideals and authoritarian tendencies, notably during the two decades of the Justice and Development Party’s (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, AKP) rule. This transition marked a departure from a relatively democratic façade that emerged in response to the European Union (EU) accession process towards a more authoritarian regime characterized by increased government control and curtailment of civil liberties. It is a shift accentuated after the 2013 Gezi protests which culminated in a significant regime change in 2018. This transformation was marked by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s consolidation of power through constitutional amendments, leading to the transition from a parliamentary democracy to a presidential system. To comprehend this transformation, it is imperative to examine the interplay between economic dynamics and the state within the neo-liberal capitalist system, aligning with Poulantzas’ observations on global trends. It can be argued that the accumulation and state crises, exacerbated by the 2008 global economic crisis, have contributed to Turkey’s authoritarian shift in parallel with global developments.

Obrazovna dimenzija sudske samouprave u funkciji ostvarivanja načela nezavisnosti sudske vlasti - slučaj Srbije u procesu evropskih integracija

The rule of law is the cornerstone of democracy and the European Union accession process. Independent judiciary is an important facet of the rule of law, while judicial competence and judicial self-governance are among its elements. One of the dimensions of judicial self-governance is its educational function. By using dogmatic, exegetic and empirical legal methods, the paper examines the extent to which the demands formulated in interim benchmarks for Chapter 23 are aligned with the well-balanced approach to the principle of judicial self-governance and, further, the manner in which such self-governance is implemented in practice within the framework of the process for the adoption of the multiannual work program of the Serbian Judicial Academy. The authors conclude that the plan preparation process represents an adequate platform for duly observing the said concept, while the program itself can contribute to improving the competence of judges and, consequently, strengthening their independence.

Türkiye’s European Union Accession Process Evaluation in The Context of Kemalism

Republic of Türkiye's involvement with European integration dates back to Democrat Party period. It is clear how difficult and questionable this period of many years is. Türkiye 's European Union accession process, which started to accelerate especially since the first half of the 2000s, was resolutely criticized by many nationalist intellectuals in the same period. The central point of these criticisms was that the European Union process would wear out the nation state and was absolutely incompatible with Kemalist principles. In terms of the ideology of Kemalism, which was shaped as the mortar of the nation-building project in the early Republic period, it was undoubtedly an acceptable fact that the European Union membership, which would mean the transfer of the sovereignty of the nation-state, was viewed negatively. Based on the fact in question, the aim of this article is to give a brief summary of the European Union process, which accelerated in the first half of the 2000s and gradually faded in the second half, and then to evaluate the European Union membership process from the Kemalism ideology perspective. Thus, it will be put forward whether the EU membership process and the Kemalism ideology constitute two separate poles, as asserted by nationalist intellectuals.

Relationship between the Obligations from the European Convention on Human Rights and the Accession to the European Union

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) has difficulty integrating and moving closer to the goal of becoming a member of the European Union (EU). From the legal perspective, the main issue is the need to fulfil the accession criteria. The article aims to examine the relationship between the obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights and Basic Freedoms (ECHR) and the obligations related to the European Union (EU) accession process, with emphasis on Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) as an EU membership candidate country. At first sight, those two obligations are separate. However, upon close examination, a strong link between those two obligations can be established using normative research with a historical approach, statute and case-based approach. On the other hand, the constitutional system of B&H has been described as discriminatory by numerous judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and, most prominently, by the Sejdic-Finci case. B&H has difficulties implementing those judgments. Implementing those judgments is also set as one of the requirements of EU accession. Even if the two obligations seem separate at first sight, the ECHR has a special position within the law of the EU and is especially important in the accession of new Member States, including B&H. The research results show a special position of the ECHR in EU law and a link between the obligations under the ECHR and EU accession.

Russian influence on the European Integration process of the Western Balkan countries: A comparative analysis

This article explores the correlation between Russian influence and the European Union (EU) integration process in the Western Balkans. The focus is on analyzing the impact of Russian influence expressed through political, economic and cultural means on the region’s integration into the EU. The article argues that the Russian foreign policy toolkit inhibits the EU accession process for the six countries of the Western Balkans, as it interferes with the internal functioning of these countries, which, in turn, affects their ability to fulfill EU requirements. Using a comparative case approach this study has found evidence that Russian cultural, political and financial support negatively affects the Western Balkans’ European integration process, hindering progress towards accession. Additionally, the findings support the argument that Western Balkans countries with Slavic populations are more susceptible to Russian influence. The article highlights the significant impact of Russia on the EU integration process in the Western Balkans and underscores the need for EU policymakers to address this issue to ensure a smooth and successful accession process for the region.

TRADE OPENESS FUNCTIONING TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC PROSPECTS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE NEW EU MEMBER STATES

Given the developments in economic theory so far, the European Union (EU) accession process is believed to bring significant benefits to newcomers, especially in terms of fostering their economic growth, which is induced by abolishing import tariffs and other trade barriers, intensifying trade flows and ensuring a more efficient usage of resources. Although empirical evidence on these correlations is mixed, many in the new EU member states and in candidate countries hope that EU membership will pave the way towards their economic prosperity, which would ensure a meaningful reduction in the income gap between new and old EU members. Accordingly, trade liberalisation, which implies lower transaction costs, increased specialisation, scale economy, and competitive pressures, has become a priority, especially for the accessing economies which are traditionally less open in comparison to the economies which first joined the EU. This study aims to assess the impact of trade openness, measured through the dynamics of exports and imports, on the economic growth of the last three member countries to join the EU (Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia) by employing panel data for the period before and after their accession (1997-2017). The results of the study confirm the expansion of the sample countries’ trade flows after the accession, as well as a positive correlation between the dynamics of trade flows and gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Still, it can be concluded that the exploitation of the positive effects of trade openness is conditioned by the level of the countries’ pre-accession economic progress and other determining variables.

Countering Geopolitical Competition in the Western Balkans: the EU, Russia, and China

While the European Union (EU) has long considered the Western Balkans its sphere of influence, the growing geopolitical competition from Russia and China has created harmful countercurrents in the region. In order to adequately challenge these, the EU needs to overcome its credibility crisis in the Western Balkans, produced by years of national vetoes and enlargement fatigue in the EU, paired with slow reforms or even democratic backsliding in the region. This situation could be remedied by focusing on Montenegro, which has long been considered the region’s frontrunner in the EU accession process and is already a NATO member. By actively working towards full EU membership for the smallest country in the Western Balkans, the EU would not only be able to fortify its geopolitical role in the region, it could simultaneously create positive momentum, proving that there is indeed a believable path towards EU membership, which remains the most reliable tool to combat destructive influence from Russia and China.

Türkiye’de Okul Öncesi Dönemde İki Dillilik Üzerine Yapılan Lisansüstü Tezlerin ve Makalelerin İncelenmesi (2007-2021)

İki dillilik, tüm dünyada disiplinler arası çalışmalarla tüm hızıyla çeşitli açılardan araştırılmaya devam eden konuların başında gelmektedir. İletişim ve ulaşımın hızla yaygınlaştığı, ülkelerin ve milletlerin birbirleriyle hiç olmadığı kadar daha fazla iletişime girdiği bir dönemde iki dillilik araştırmacılar tarafından ilgiyle incelenmeye devam etmektedir. Jeopolitik konumu, Avrupa Birliği’ne giriş sürecine uyumlanma politikaları ve yoğun göç alması sonucu, Türkiye’de iki dillilik kavramı ana okulları için de çeşitli açılardan tartışılmaya başlanmıştır. Bu araştırmanın amacı, okul öncesi dönemde iki dillilikle ilgili az araştırmanın yapıldığı ülkemizde 2007-2021 yılları arasında okul öncesi dönemde iki dillilikle ilgili yapılmış lisansüstü tezlerin ve makalelerin kapsamlarını ortaya koymaktır. Bu doğrultuda, yirmi beş lisansüstü tezi ve yirmi bir makaleye ulaşılmış ve bu çalışmalar, “yıllara, yöntemlerine, konularına, örneklem/çalışma grubuna, veri toplama aracına, veri analiz tekniklerine, inceledikleri dillere ve lisansüstü tezlerin yapıldığı bölümlere göre dağılım” değişkenlerine göre incelenmiştir. Araştırmanın sonucunda, 2020 ve 2021 yıllarında daha çok çalışma yapıldığı, vaka incelemelerinin daha çok tercih edildiği, dil gelişiminin çeşitli açılardan incelenmesi konusunun daha çok seçildiği, en çok çocukların örneklem olarak ele alındığı, veri toplama aracı olarak en çok ölçeklerin tercih edildiği, veri analiz tekniği olarak en çok testlerin tercih edildiği, çalışmaların Türkçe-İngilizce dilleri arasında daha çok yapıldığı ve lisansüstü tezlerinde okul öncesi eğitimi bölümünde çalışmaların daha fazla yapıldığı tespit edilmiştir.

The European Union’s Economic Conditionality and Europeanization of the Western Balkans

Abstract This article evaluates the role that the economic conditionality of the European Union (EU) toward the six Western Balkan countries may play in the transformation of these countries as a part of their EU accession process. The article is a case study of a temporary policy shift that occurred in 2014 in relation to conditions that Bosnia and Herzegovina must fulfill to qualify for opening negotiations on EU membership. It also aims to address what this shift has achieved for the Europeanization of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its progress towards EU accession. The shift, implemented via an economic plan called the Reform Agenda, was an attempt at Europeanization of the country’s economic policies that temporarily put aside the constitutional reform demands that had previously dominated the Europeanization discourse. After the first five years of the Reform Agenda, moderate gains primarily in the domain of economic development and fiscal stability were made; however, political fragmentation and nationalistic and secessionist ideas have prevented the reforms from making a stronger impact. Additionally, the lack of a defined desired outcome in terms of measurable economic reforms and the inadequate planning by the EU were not conducive to a more transformative impact.

Battered by Geopolitical Winds, Bulgaria Struggles to Restart Much Needed Reforms

Battered by Geopolitical Winds, Bulgaria Struggles to Restart Much Needed Reforms

The Legal Framework of Water Quality Management in Turkey

After the 1970’s, an unprecedented urbanization and industrial activities have resulted in severe inland and coastal water degradation in Turkey. Infrastructure investment in wastewater management has fallen behind schedule due to the lack of required extensive financing to implement large projects. On the other hand, land-use planning has been overlooked due to increased demand for housing and legal gaps that weaken the enforcement in that respect. Turkey is updating its regulations within the framework of the current EU directives after becoming a candidate country to the European Union (EU). Comprehensive reforms related to institutional and legal issues have gradually taken place with the objective of meeting the defined strategies for water pollution abatement. A new “Water Law '' has been drafted for ensuring a more efficient water management by updating the existing legal framework where needed and with emerging issues (e.g. climate change). In 2021, a “Consultative Assembly on Water'' was established to analyze the content and items of the new “Water Law '', in particular, and the conclusion statement was displayed. In this study, Turkey’s water quality management policies are presented by taking into consideration the present urgent actions and future needs, development at national, regional and municipal levels as well as the on-going EU accession process together with regional and international agreements. An assessment of inland and coastal water quality is done according to the regulations in force and set standards.

How EU accession has affected military service in post-conflict Cyprus

ABSTRACT This article explores how the concept of military service develops in the post-conflict society of Cyprus (RoC), following its accession to the European Union (EU). It is based on an exhaustive series of individual interviews with soldiers, lawyers, politicians, ambassadors and civilians, as well as an analysis of media content. The article sets out exactly how EU accession presented a confusing ideological trajectory for the army, lowering motivation for defending the border against occupying forces. The diminishing value of military service takes place against a background of changing masculine ideals. Moreover, defence diplomacy aiming to create energy alliances between EU member states against Turkey had the unintended consequence of young men further disassociating from direct involvement in the defence project. The article also analyses a number of policies developed to deal with conscription issues. Through the case study of Cyprus, we come to see how policy on military service during the EU accession process should incorporate changing civil-military relations.

Soner Cagaptay, The New Sultan: Erdogan and The Crisis of Modern Turkey

Reviewed by: The New Sultan: Erdogan and The Crisis of Modern Turkey by Soner Cagaptay Hatice Mete Soner Cagaptay. The New Sultan: Erdogan and The Crisis of Modern Turkey. London: I.B. Tauris, 2017. 256 pp. Cloth, $35.00. ISBN: 978-1784538262. The New Sultan: Erdogan and the Crisis of Modern Turkey provides a road map of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's electoral successes and increasing political power.1 It is an extensive study that investigates the main factors and challenges in Turkish politics that have contributed to shaping Erdogan's political road map. As a historian by training, the author opens the layers of Turkish modern history starting from the 1920s until early 2017 while sharing Erdogan's story with the readers. The book is organized around giving an introduction about major developments in Turkish history, and explaining how these developments had affected Erdogan's life. It looks at Erdogan's story, and Turkish modern history, in periodic order starting from his childhood years, in Kasimpasa, a district in Istanbul, and in Rize, where he was originally from, to be elected as mayor of Istanbul, and finally into his presidency. The author displayed, for instance, how growing up in Kasimpasa, a "rough-hewn, conservative area" (p. 16), has shaped Erdogan's perception of the "other," which is the Westernized, [End Page 282] Kemalist, and secular side of Turkey. The author did not only reveal political developments in Turkish history but also provided glimpses of economic and social developments that had left a mark on Erdogan. It traces Erdogan's life story along with major events in Turkish history from the state's attempts to stamp out grassroot movements of Islam in the 1920s, through a street fight between militant leftist and rightist groups in the 1970s, the military's frequent intervention into politics through coup d'états and memorandums, and the Turkish economy's experience with neoliberal policies, and finally into the emergence of Erdogan's "conservative democracy." The author provides major turning points that have deeply affected not only Erdogan's political success and Turkish modern history but also Turkish foreign policy. One of the major points was political Islam coming to Turkey in the 1970s as a possible pillar against rising communism within the Cold War context, and the marginalization of Imam Hatip graduates, state-created religious schools used by governments as an instrument to control the religion in the public sphere. While religion has been an important element in Erdogan's personality, with the injection of Islam into politics by the 1980 junta, it has become a crucial factor in Turkish politics as well. Other turning points that shaped Erdogan's political life and modern history stated in the book include dissolution of the Turkish right in the 1990s along with the ten percent threshold that was put into effect after the 1980 coup d'état, 1997 soft coup, 2001 financial crisis, and the European Union (EU) accession process. The author explains, for instance, how the ten percent threshold, implemented to block Kurdish nationalist parties from gaining access to parliament, had backfired so unexpectedly and rather acted as an impediment for center-right and center-left parties entering the parliament in the 2002 elections, which resulted in the AKP's getting the majority of the parliamentary seats and the beginning of the AKP governance. Another interesting theme in the book is comparisons of Ataturk's modernization project and Erdogan's "New Turkey" project. The author emphasizes that "the irony is that while claiming to revive the pre-Ataturk empire, Erdogan is actually reviving the caricature of the Ottomans that he was taught by the Kemalists" (pp. 196–97). He explains that Kemalism no longer serves as a glue that brings together different ethnic and religious groups in Turkish society, as Erdogan relies on religion and the pre-Ataturk past to bind his electorates. Apart from Erdogan's story, the book involves details about other political leaders of center-right and Islamist parties such as former prime minister and leader of the Democrat Party (1946–61), Adnan Menderes, former president of Turkey, Suleyman Demirel, and founder of the Islamist National Order Party (1970–71) Necmettin Erbakan, who...

Mehmet Gün (2020) Turkey’s Middle-Democracy Issues and How to Solve Them: Judiciary, Accountability and Fair Representation

This is a book review on Mehmet Gün, Turkey’s Middle-Democracy Issues and How to Solve Them: Judiciary, Accountability and Fair Representation. For many years, Turkey has had a poor record as regards human rights. Despite Turkey being a signatory to international conventions on human rights it has not consistently safeguarded these rights. Turkey made some progress by introducing reforms that began with the European Union (EU) accession process initiated in 1999. This process ushered in harmonisation laws and implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) that led to developments on the normative level. However, these changes were not sufficiently put into practice or adopted by public mechanisms.

Inovative Practices To The Sector Of Dried Fig In Turkey

One of the Turkey's European Union accession process main policy areas in need of harmonization is seen in the agriculture. The problems experienced in the trade, it may be able to offer solutions for the elimination of deficiencies in infrastructure and on the other obstacles. One of the steps to be taken in this regard is the ability to get the GLOBALGAP certification cooperating with the ITU for the producers oriented manufacturing overseas markets, especially in our country. In this study, the biotechnical fighting method within the scope of good agricultural practices (pheromone bars) contributions on innovation, the contribution of the use of international trade effects of good agricultural practices, the role of good agricultural practices of international organizations, the application of our country in compliance with the EU, the adaptation stage for good agricultural practices of the new member states and provides information on topics such as farmers need to do. Besides, with the help of a detailed review of the literature, it will be given information about the situation in Turkey for better understanding on using good agricultural production datas.

Agricultural policies and European Union accession processes in the Western Balkans: aspirations versus reality

ABSTRACT One of the main political objectives of Western Balkan (WB) countries/territories is accession into the European Union (EU). From the perspective of the agricultural sector, this implies that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) represents the benchmark for setting their future agricultural policy. This paper analyzes the structure of the currently implemented agricultural policies in the WBs, and their level of harmonization with the CAP. The uncertain nature of the final date of EU accession, and changing nature of the CAP, may imply that the agricultural policy choice in the WBs is an outcome of the EU’s accession requirements and domestic political pressures. We developed a conceptual framework to define the key harmonization principles of agricultural policiesand the Agricultural Policy Measures (APM) classification scheme to gain a detailed understanding of the existing agricultural support in the WBs. While the WBs is committed to adhere to the CAP in future, the agricultural policies actually implemented depart from this declared future planning, and rather reflect domestic political economy interests. The pressures of the EU accession negotiations, and the EU pre-accession support, are the key elements of the EU accession process which push the WBs to adapt their agricultural policies to the CAP.