Abstract
The opening of accession negotiations with Turkey was one of the most controversial external relations decisions the European Union (EU) has ever taken. Whereas there is general agreement among the member states that Turkey is an important strategic partner and should be closely associated with the EU, the prospect of full membership was bound to arouse scepticism. First, the country is relatively poor and agricultural. According to figures for 2005, Turkey’s GDP per capita reached only 28% of the EU average — less than any of the member states.’ The Turkish agricultural sector is still the largest economic sector and employs around one-third of the workforce (as compared to an average of 5% in the EU). Turkish membership is thus likely to increase the divergence of living standards in the EU, create a high potential for labour migration, and instigate demand for high net payments from the structural and agricultural funds.
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© 2011 Frank Schimmelfennig
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Schimmelfennig, F. (2011). EU Membership Negotiations with Turkey: Entrapped Again. In: Thomas, D.C. (eds) Making EU Foreign Policy. Palgrave Studies in International Relations Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230307360_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230307360_7
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