A New Year's Resolution on Turkey

It’s harder to keep a New Year’s resolution than to make one. As 2014 began, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, then Turkish prime minister, pledged a “European Year” that would revive his country’s EU membership bid. As part of the effort, Ankara released in September a new “European Union Strategy” that aimed to accelerate political and economic reforms, and build domestic support for EU membership. The aim was to spur the accession negotiations, which had languished since they commenced in 2005.

Yet as 2014 draws to a close, Turkey’s “European Year” has fallen short of expectations. The country’s declared EU ambitions contrasted with many of its actions. The recent arrest of 23 journalists by police confirmed the perception of many in the EU of Ankara’s deteriorating rule of law, media freedom and civil liberties. Turkish and EU officials have traded barbs over the action. EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn condemned it as “incompatible with the freedom of media”; other EU officials have suggested halting EU-accession talks. Erdoğan responded bluntly, telling Brussels to “mind its own business” on Turkey’s internal affairs. The sniping casts doubts on the ability of both sides to agree on fundamental issues and adds to the skepticism about Ankara’s willingness to adopt basic EU standards.

Threats by EU officials to halt accession talks actually hold little weight and, more importantly, provide little incentive to induce reform. Turkey has no realistic prospect of joining the EU anytime soon. A new and more realistic approach is needed, one that encourages Ankara to reform while receiving material benefit. Such an effort lies in reinvigorating the EU-accession process and rejuvenating an economic relationship that is of vital mutual importance.

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