“EU-Turkey Relations: Towards Visa Liberalization?” TEPAV organized a meeting in partnership with the ESI that wants to use its experience in the Western Balkans to help initiate a visa liberalization process for Turkey.

ANKARA – TEPAV organized a roundtable meeting on November 6, 2011, Tuesday in partnership with European Stability Initiative (ESI), a think-tank that has conducted a major project on visa liberalization for the Western Balkans and contributed to its success.

The meeting titled “EU-Turkey Relations: Towards Visa Liberalization?” was moderated by the Director of TEPAV EU Institute Nilgün Arısan Eralp. Drawing attention to the key importance of visa liberalization for Turkey-EU relations, Eralp stated that a possible progress in this field could be a significant opportunity for resorting confidence and hope in Turkey-EU relations. She stressed that the issue of visa liberalization did not only stem from the candidacy process of Turkey but had its basis in the Association Agreement between Turkey and the EU, especially in the Additional Protocol. She maintained, as a candidate country, Turkey was also expected to fulfill some conditions for visa liberalization including biometric passport, integrated border management and signature of the readmission agreement. Turkish authorities had fulfilled most of these conditions, while problems pertained.

“Don’t rely on court decisions, act proactively”

Gerald Knaus, Founding Chairperson of ESI, stressed that EU’s attitude against Turkey about visa liberalization was discriminatory whereas Turkey could not earn full freedom of movement across EU member states without the readmission agreement. Reminding that there is a series of court cases for Turkey in the EU, he maintained that EU policy in some member states were in violation of the EU’s own commitments, he said “Turkey cannot rely only on court decisions; this would be a very slow moving strategy.” Knaus recommended Turkey to take more concrete and transparent steps and focus on lobbying efforts. Stressing that what Turkey is actually faced with is not clear, he maintained there still were reason to be hopeful. He maintained that Turkey can act flexibly and try to cooperate with its friends in Europe.

Knaus also shared with the audience the experiences of the Initiative during the “White List Project” on visa liberalization conducted in the Balkans. Stating that following efforts of three years, Balkan countries received in 2008 roadmaps which were composed of tens of conditions for visa liberalization, he stressed that Russia and Ukraine could only start the “visa dialogue” with the EU. He added that during the process thirty five inspections were carried out independent of the EU Commission and reports were prepared.

He added, “Coalitions can be build with Interior Ministries. For example, Serbia carried out a campaign in France with deputy prime minister of the country who happened to be French and talked French. In Turkey, the role of Turkish interior ministry is crucial. And this really requires a campaign and some planning.”

“The EU has justified fears”

Knaus stated that when opening its borders under Schengen, Europe had made a preference between freedom and security. Arguing that despite Turkey was a relatively richer and more comfortable country today; the EU had justified fears about visa liberalization. He stated that Turkey ranked twelfth in 2010 in applications for asylum to the EU, at a position slightly better than Pakistan with 16.5 percent of applications approved. He also maintained that majority of illegal immigrants that had entered the EU had been and caught had came from Turkey. Stating that there are steps to be taken in this context, he stressed that such efforts would be in the interest of Turkey as well.

“Turkey’s case is different than that of the Balkans”

Commenting on Knaus’s observations, a representative from the Ministry of EU Affairs stated that concerning the visa liberalization problem. He argued that Turkey and the Balkans were at different positions and stressed that Turkey was the only EU candidate country whose citizens need a visa when they want to travel to the EU. Drawing attention to political blockages Turkey faced during negotiations, he emphasized that Turkey had fulfilled the informal opening criteria the Commission had defined and maintained that a commitment to this end could be mobilized if there was will. Representative of the Ministry of EU Affairs also gave information about border management harmonization efforts while an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the ministry was proceeding on technical works in relation with visa liberalization process.

The roundtable meeting which was attended predominantly by the foreign mission and representatives of relevant public authorities in Turkey focused on answering key questions about visa liberalization: “With Turkish resentments running high, are there ways out of the current deadlock?” “What can Turkey learn from countries, which recently received visa liberalization?”

ESI wants to use its experience to help Turkey

ESI, an independent think-tank, has conducted a major project titled “The White List Project” on visa liberalization for the Western Balkans and been credited for contributing to its success. Currently ESI tries to use its experience to help initiate a visa liberalization process for Turkey. It has recently organized events on the issue in Brussels, Berlin and Amsterdam. ESI is working with an advisory board that is chaired by former Italian Prime Minister and Interior Minister Giuliano AMATO and which includes former EU interior ministers such as Otto SCHILY (Germany) and Chares CLARKE (UK).  Please click here for detailed information on visa liberalization projects conducted by ESI.