Capitalising on Turkey’s Slight Shift towards the EU

Bulletin PISM, no 132 (727), 24 November 2014
The Polish Institute of International Affairs

Pinar Elman *

Turkey’s strategic importance to the EU’s interests has grown because of developments in the latter’ s eastern and southern neighbourhoods. It also coincides with a recent and clear shift tow ards the EU in Turkish foreign policy rhetoric. Turkey’s unstable neighbours have made the government in Ankara look for more reliable business allies. Yet, this coincidence is unlikely to bring the expected bene fits to either side for two reasons: Turkey’s continuing disregard for democratic standards, and the EU’s inability to accommodate this shift due to the blocked negotiation chapters by Cyprus, France and the EU Council. Moreover, the “new focus” on EU enlargement policy may further undermine this, best tool to make the EU–Turkey partnership more effective.

* Pinar Elman is an analyst at the Polish Institute of International Affairs.

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