EU-Turkey friction continues
LEuropean leaders are meeting in Brussels for a two-day summit of the heads of state and government of the 27 countries that make up the European Union. Among the main issues on the agenda have been relations with Turkey and migration. The relationship between the EU and Turkey has always been characterised by constant tension in which both powers have continually pushed the boundaries.
Among the main disagreements between the EU and the Eurasian country are the Cyprus issue, explorations in the Eastern Mediterranean, human rights for minorities in Turkey, the repression of opposition groups and the migration issue. Since the Syrian refugee crisis in 2016, the EU reached an agreement with Ankara for 6 billion euros in exchange for controlling migration flows. This measure has been widely criticised by various human rights organisations and NGOs in what has come to be known as the "Pact of Shame".
Turkey has received large sums of money in exchange for doing the EU's "dirty work" and receiving asylum seekers on its territory, in addition to its coast guard intercepting the arrival of refugees so that they could not enter European territory via the Greek islands. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has often used immigration as a bargaining chip with the EU to achieve his goals. Despite the ongoing disagreements between the EU and Turkey, both know that they are first and foremost allies, as they depend on each other, especially in the economic and energy spheres.
Turkey and the EU have a common customs union, which implies the free movement of goods, as well as the alignment of Turkish legislation with EU rules on internal market regulation, particularly with regard to industrial standards. The Eurasian country has repeatedly called for a review of the 1995 customs agreement with the aim of initiating negotiations on the enhanced customs union. But the EU, too, has kept this request as an incentive to use against Turkey when it wants to take some kind of benefit from the country, as well as the visa waiver that Turkey has been demanding for years.
The European summit attended by the leaders of the EU's 27 member states and representatives of EU institutions has largely been about relations with Turkey, as well as migration. Just two days ago the European Commission presented a 5.7 million euro package to fund migration, of which 3.5 million euros would go to Turkey. This proposal still needs to be approved by the European Parliament.
The European summit was also expected to discuss this new package of aid to third countries to control migration flows. With regard to migration, EU leaders agreed during the meeting that mutually beneficial partnerships and cooperation with countries of origin and transit would be intensified to prevent loss of life and reduce pressure on European borders, as part of the Union's external action. Likewise, the heads of state and government of the European Union on Thursday "condemned" and "rejected" "attempts by third countries to exploit migrants for their political interests", according to the conclusions of the European Council.
With regard to Turkey, the document points out that "the rule of law and fundamental rights in the Eurasian country remain a major concern. The attacks on political parties, human rights defenders and the media represent major setbacks in human rights and run counter to Turkey's obligations to respect democracy, the rule of law and women's rights".
After the conclusions of the European Council were made public, the Turkish government accused the EU of "diversionary tactics" and accused Brussels of being "far from taking the necessary steps". In an official statement, the Turkish foreign ministry stresses that 'Turkey has more than fulfilled its responsibilities in terms of reducing tensions and initiating dialogue and cooperation' and that the EU is 'delaying concrete decisions to implement the positive agenda, including updating the Customs Union'.
Turkey also criticises the EU's migration policy, which it considers "a big mistake to reduce cooperation on migration to a financial dimension only". In the communiqué, they also reject the EU's position on the Cyprus issue and state that "as long as this attitude of the EU continues, it is not possible to make a constructive contribution to the Cyprus issue", reproaching the institution for only taking into account the position of Greece and the Greek Cypriots but ignoring the Turkish Cypriot side.
Although the Council of Europe's conclusions are highly critical of the rule of law and respect for human rights in Turkey, they also commit to working in a cooperative and mutually beneficial manner. Furthermore, the EU communiqué welcomes the de-escalation of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. For its part, Turkey has also made its position public. As usual, the two powers have many points of disagreement, but both have the intention to work together for their own benefit.
