NGOs, gov’t meet to advance Turkey’s EU bid
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
OluÅŸturulma Tarihi: Mart 07, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - The first meeting between government officials and civil society marks a very important moment for spreading the EU objective nationwide. 'Maybe this is the first such meeting of its kind but I promise it will not be the last,' says chief negotiator Egemen Bağış
Government officials and representatives from civil society met Friday for the first time for active involvement in the decision-making process and set the agenda for full membership in the European Union.  Â
"Maybe this is the first such meeting of its kind but I promise it will not be the last," Egemen Bağış, chief negotiator for EU talks, said in opening remarks.
He called on the civil society to make its voice heard in Europe and to establish bridges with Europeans that may reverse public opinion in some member states where Turkish accession is looked upon with skepticism.
Turkey began EU membership negotiations in October 2005 but Brussels criticizes Ankara for the slow pace of reforms over recent years.
"We know that we have lost time," said Bağış.
Turkey’s relations with the EU date back to 1959 when the country made its first application to the then-European Economic Community. Bağış said the lengthy process was partly due to the fact that the EU objective was taken as a state principle far from the public.
"We deem the EU process as the project of the people," he said.
TÃœSÄ°AD expectations from government
Turkey’s leading business group urged the government to demonstrate strong political leadership to deepen reforms and comply with the technical criteria required for full membership.
"Turkey must press ahead with the target to become a member of the EU in 2014 and negotiations must be completed by 2012," said Arzuhan Yalçındağ, chairwoman of the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association, or TÜSİAD.
She said the necessary criteria must be fulfilled to open social policy and employment and taxation chapters during the term of the Czech presidency of the EU. While listing the area the government must prioritize, Yalçındağ said Parliament should pass the bill on trade and steps must be taken on intellectual property rights, competition policy, women in the labor force, national waste management and the independence of judiciary.
She said if Turkey accedes to the EU in 2014, the objective must be to join the Eurozone by 2018.
For his part, Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, head of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges or TOBB, highlighted the visa problem encountered by businessmen, journalists, students and academics.
"Before this problem is resolved how can we talk about an effective civil society dialogue?" he said, adding that the problem must be urgently addressed.
Though invited, representatives from the Labor Confederation, or Hak-İş, the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions, or Türk-İş and the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions, or KESK, left the meeting in a show of protest having seen they were not seated as VIP, it was learned.
The three NGOs said they were actively involved in negotiations with the EU but still they were not represented in the protocol seats like TÜSİAD, TOBB and the Turkish Tradesmen’s and Artisans’ Confederation, or TESK.
"Maybe this is the first such meeting of its kind but I promise it will not be the last," Egemen Bağış, chief negotiator for EU talks, said in opening remarks.
He called on the civil society to make its voice heard in Europe and to establish bridges with Europeans that may reverse public opinion in some member states where Turkish accession is looked upon with skepticism.
Turkey began EU membership negotiations in October 2005 but Brussels criticizes Ankara for the slow pace of reforms over recent years.
"We know that we have lost time," said Bağış.
Turkey’s relations with the EU date back to 1959 when the country made its first application to the then-European Economic Community. Bağış said the lengthy process was partly due to the fact that the EU objective was taken as a state principle far from the public.
"We deem the EU process as the project of the people," he said.
TÃœSÄ°AD expectations from government
Turkey’s leading business group urged the government to demonstrate strong political leadership to deepen reforms and comply with the technical criteria required for full membership.
"Turkey must press ahead with the target to become a member of the EU in 2014 and negotiations must be completed by 2012," said Arzuhan Yalçındağ, chairwoman of the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association, or TÜSİAD.
She said the necessary criteria must be fulfilled to open social policy and employment and taxation chapters during the term of the Czech presidency of the EU. While listing the area the government must prioritize, Yalçındağ said Parliament should pass the bill on trade and steps must be taken on intellectual property rights, competition policy, women in the labor force, national waste management and the independence of judiciary.
She said if Turkey accedes to the EU in 2014, the objective must be to join the Eurozone by 2018.
For his part, Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, head of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges or TOBB, highlighted the visa problem encountered by businessmen, journalists, students and academics.
"Before this problem is resolved how can we talk about an effective civil society dialogue?" he said, adding that the problem must be urgently addressed.
Though invited, representatives from the Labor Confederation, or Hak-İş, the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions, or Türk-İş and the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions, or KESK, left the meeting in a show of protest having seen they were not seated as VIP, it was learned.
The three NGOs said they were actively involved in negotiations with the EU but still they were not represented in the protocol seats like TÜSİAD, TOBB and the Turkish Tradesmen’s and Artisans’ Confederation, or TESK.