EP urges Turkey: Take final steps for visa liberalization

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — The European Parliament (EP) has issued a renewed call to the Turkish government to eliminate the remaining legislative and administrative barriers preventing the long-awaited visa-free travel for Turkish citizens.

The appeal is a central feature of the latest draft Turkey Report authored by Spanish MEP Nacho Sánchez Amor, which was recently discussed by the EP’s Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET). While the document acknowledges Turkey’s strategic importance, it maintains the firm stance that Ankara must take the lead in fulfilling the technical requirements for visa liberalization.

The Six Unfulfilled Criteria for Visa-Free Travel

The journey toward visa-free travel has remained stagnant for over a decade. Despite agreeing to a roadmap of 72 criteria 13 years ago, Turkey has yet to complete the final six points required by the European Union. The draft report explicitly "urges the Turkish government to remove the remaining obstacles that prevent the resumption of the visa liberalization dialogue."

According to the draft document, the six criteria that Ankara has yet to fulfill are:

• Reform of Anti-Terror Legislation: Aligning Turkey’s anti-terror laws with European standards to ensure they are not used to curb freedom of expression.

  
  

• Operational Cooperation with Europol: Signing an agreement to facilitate data sharing and cooperation with the EU’s law enforcement agency.

• GRECO Recommendations: Implementing anti-corruption measures proposed by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption.

• Personal Data Protection: Harmonizing national data protection laws with EU standards to allow for secure judicial and police cooperation.

• Judicial Cooperation with All EU Members: Ensuring that Turkey cooperates with all 27 EU member states on criminal matters.

• Implementation of the Readmission Agreement: Fully applying the agreement regarding the return of individuals who have irregularly crossed into EU territory via Turkey.

European officials, including Jurgis Vilcinskas, the Chargé d'Affaires of the EU Delegation to Turkey, have previously stated that once these criteria are successfully met, Turkish passport holders will enjoy the same visa-free rights as citizens of other EU candidate countries.

Erosion of the Rule of Law and Judicial Concerns

While the report touches on cooperation, it remains heavily critical of the domestic legal situation in Turkey. The EP expressed "serious concerns" that the Turkish government has failed to address deficiencies that negatively impact the accession process. Sánchez Amor noted during the AFET session that he "would have liked to say the country is progressing in the accession process, but that is not the case."

The draft report highlights several key areas of concern:

• Judicial Independence: Ongoing criticisms regarding the lack of independence within the judiciary and the failure to comply with certain rulings from the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

• Political Trials: The report cites the prosecution and imprisonment of opposition figures, specifically mentioning Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and other local opposition politicians.

• Media Freedom: The "ongoing prosecution, censorship, and harassment of journalists and independent media" remain a major hurdle for Turkey's democratic standing.

• Fundamental Rights: Concerns were raised regarding violence against women and the lack of protection for the fundamental rights of LGBTI+ individuals.

The EP also voiced its concern over the "silence" of other EU institutions and member states regarding the "erosion of the rule of law" in Turkey, calling on them to raise their voices against democratic backsliding.

The Strategic Importance of the Customs Union

Despite the harsh criticisms, the European Parliament acknowledges that Turkey remains a country of vital strategic importance. The draft report advocates for a "closer, more dynamic, and strategic partnership" and reiterates the need to update the 1995 Customs Union.

However, the EP insists that this modernization must not be unconditional. For the Parliament to grant its approval, the update must be tied to "strong conditions" regarding human rights, fundamental freedoms, international law, and good neighborly relations. This conditional approach reflects the EU's attempt to use economic integration as a lever for political reform.

The document also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a constructive dialogue on strategic interests, particularly given the current global geopolitical climate.

Positive Developments: Refugees and Regional Dialogue

The draft report is not entirely negative. It includes praise for Turkey’s continued role in hosting approximately 2.7 million refugees, a contribution that the EU continues to value. Furthermore, the report welcomes the ongoing dialogue between Turkey and Greece, viewing it as a positive step for regional stability.

Interestingly, the EP expressed appreciation for the government’s efforts in the process it calls "Terror-Free Turkey," a domestic initiative aimed at ending the long-standing conflict. The report also noted satisfaction with Turkey's recent macroeconomic stabilization and reform programs, which are seen as positive steps for economic predictability.

Regarding the Cyprus issue, the draft report reiterates the EU's support for a solution based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.

Next Steps for the Report

The draft report discussed in the AFET committee is the first step in a longer legislative process. It will eventually be put to a vote in the committee before moving to the General Assembly for a final plenary vote.

Historically, these reports attract numerous amendments during both the committee and plenary stages. Sánchez Amor and his colleagues expect that many of these amendments may lean toward a more critical tone, potentially moving the final text further away from the current draft and toward a more negative assessment of the Turkey-EU relationship.

For now, the message from Brussels is clear: while the door for strategic cooperation remains open, the path to visa liberalization and deeper integration requires concrete "action rather than rhetoric" from the Turkish government.

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