Turkey and EU – Customs Union

• 03.23.2015, 19:10
•  Europe,  Region,  World

Turkey and the EU are preparing to strengthen their customs union. Both sides have agreed to extend the areas of custom zone including services, agricultural and public procurement. For long years Ankara has resisted this deal, arguing that it can be done only after becoming a full member of the EU, FT reports.

A Turkish official has announced that they have more open approach now to such issues as strengthening the trade relations with the EU. Since 1999, Turkey has been an EU candidate country, but it is not given the right to become a full member as it needs to comply with all standards of the EU - acquis.

This was reiterated by the EU ambassador Marc Pierini, who said that politically Turkey does not meet the EU standards. "So the only relatively innocuous thing is customs union,” - Pierini said.

The negotiations toward the deal seems difficult and it is unlikely to begin before summer 2016, because there will be strong opposition from Cyprus, which is an EU member and it does not have any diplomatic relations with Turkey.

On the one hand no political will is shown from the Turkish side towards it EU membership, but on the other hand it seems that strengthening trade relations with Turkey shows that Turkey wants to strengthen its stance in EU membership negotiations. And after all it is clear that the customs union for Turkey is not only an opportunity to enlarge its trade and encourage export, but also a way to tie its relations with the EU much closer.