CASE’s contribution to the debate on the modernization of the EU-Turkey customs union
An article based on the report on the Modernization of the EU-Turkey customs union prepared by CASE and the LSE for the European Parliament has just come out in Turkish Policy Quarterly.
The original paper assessed the case for modernizing the EU-Turkey Customs Union and consider how such changes could be made. The analysis maintains that the EU-Turkey CU of 1995 covering industrial goods should be modernised and modified to take into account the various and growing criticisms of the CU. Further economic integration between the EU and Turkey should be directed towards signing a complementary deep integration RTA between the EU and Turkey covering agriculture, SPS measures, services, government procurement, investment, and dispute settlement. Such an approach should increase competition and lead to better allocation of resources in both Turkey and the EU. Despite raising doubts about full accession in the short run, there is nevertheless absolutely no evidence that either Turkey or the EU and its Member States wants to unilaterally break with Turkey’s accession process. This is because of the various interdependencies, as well as the high potentials of their partnership in terms of politics and security, economy, trade and energy, as well as socio-cultural relations.
Photo: Istanbul, Turkey; Pixabay
