August 1949: Turkey becomes a member of the European Council.
June 1959: Turkey applies for membership in the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) for the first time.
September 1963: Conclusion of the "Ankara Agreement", the Association Agreement between Turkey and the EMU. This Agreement prescribes the establishment of a customs union in three phases and it also envisages the prospect of future Turkish membership.
November 1970: Additional protocol to the Association Agreement.
September 1980: The European Community's relations to Turkey are dampened considerably because of the military coup in Turkey.
April 1987: Turkey applies for full membership on the basis of article 237 of the EMU Agreement.
December 1989: The European Commission rejects Turkish candidacy for political and economic reasons. Before accession negotiations are undertaken again, a customs union should first be established.
January 1996: Introduction of the customs union with the EU is yet another milestone on the road to full European Union membership.
December 1997: The European Council of Luxembourg confirms the accession possibilities within the Association Agreement and clearly determines that Turkey is doubtlessly an accession candidate.
March 1998: The EU Commission adopts a "European Strategy for Turkey". This includes suggestions for strengthening cooperation between the EU and Turkey. Turkey agrees with the initiative.
June 1999: The German Presidency of the European Council calls for the recognition of Turkey's status as a candidacy country under the same conditions as other EU accession states.
December 1999: Turkey's status as a candidacy country is recognized at the EU summit in Helsinki. However, negotiations should not start until the political criteria set by the European Commission in Copenhagen in June 1993 has been met. The "Copenhagen Criteria" includes:
- Institutional stability as a guarantee for democratic and constitutional order
- Protection of minorities
- Protection of human rights
April 2001: Turkey develops a "national program" which is aimed at harmonization with European Law and the European Union as a community of values. The EU Commission considers the document to be a great advancement in mutual relations.
November 2002: The Chairman of the EU Convent on the Future of Europe, Giscard d'Estaing adamantly refuses Turkey full membership to the European Union on the premise that Turkey is not a European country. Accepting Turkey would signify "the end of the European Union."
December 2002: At the summit in Copenhagen, the EU resolves to accept applications from ten central and eastern European states, the greatest enlargement in the EU's history to date. Turkey is given the green light for accession negotiations in December 2004, providing the political criteria for membership has been fulfilled.
Arian Fariborz, Qantara.de; Translation: Helen Groumas
Remembering The Orly Attack
