Turkey implementing 'new strategy' on EU accession
Turkey has announced it will implement a "new strategy" to further its European Union (EU) accession ambitions, one which will focus on all the chapters of the membership negotiating book, including the 8 that were suspended last December.
The suspensions were issued due to Turkey's position over Cyprus, and Turkish economy minister and chief negotiator on EU accession Ali Babacan recognised that "negotiations will be highly influenced by the political climate".
Mr Babacan told a European Policy Centre meeting that the revised strategy will "be on the basis of our own priorities and our own deadlines".
Although the European Commission usually sets the agenda in membership negotiations, including timetables for reforms, a spokesperson said there were no "conflicting positions" in Turkey "setting up a plan for the reforms".
The EU executive hopes to see 4 chapters of the negotiation book opened by June, with the first, on enterprise and industry, being reviewed this month.
< Back to latest news