2000'Lİ YILLARDA AVRUPA BİRLİĞİ - TÜRKİYE İLİŞKİLERİNE GENEL BİR BAKIŞ

This article analyses the relations between Turkey and the European Union at the beginning of 2000s. Tlie recognition of Turkey as a candidate for accession at the Helsinki European Council in December 1999 ushered a new era in the relations between Turkey and the EU. For both parties, Helsinki marked a qualitatively new beginning. As foreseen in the Helsinki European Council conclusions, the EU Commission started to prepare an Accession Partnership for Turkey, zohich zoas adopted on March 8th, 2001. After the approval of the Accession Partnership by the EU, the Turkish Government announced its ozon National Program for the Adoption of the EU acquis on March 19th, 2001. The National Program zoas submitted to the EU Commission on March 26"', 2001. Following these important developments, the Turkey-EU Association Council began to meet regularly. In the meeting on April 11"' 2000, 8 sub-committees were established to carry out an analytical examination of the level of harmonization of the Turkish legislation with the acquis communautaire. In the subsequent meetings, progress achieved within the framework of Turkey's pre-accession strategy zoas evaluated and a number of decisions were taken, concerning Turkey's participation in Community programs, providing Turkey with full access to TAIEX" offices and the establishment of joint consultation mechanisms that will convene regularly in order to discuss trade matters related to the Customs Union. Progress towards accession continues along the path set by the National Program. The most pressing aim here is the opening of accession negotiations, zohich depends on the fulfillment of the Copenhagen political criteria. Within the past three years, Turkey took a number of important steps tozoards this end.