EU Essay Correction - Why Turkey should be admitted to the EU

Correction

Why Turkey should be admitted to the EU

54 years have passed since Turkey first applied for a membership of the European Union. In those years Turkey has made significant progress concerning human rights and contributed to the EU’s military force. Moreover, from a geopolitical point of view the country is of high importance to the EU. Stretching over two continents, Turkey is not only the link between Europe and Asia but also the bridge between the western and Islamic worlds. In economic terms Turkey’s accession would add an additional 75 million potential buyers to the EU market. Nevertheless, it is the high population figure which is a major reason as to why the EU is indecisive about admitting Turkey. The EU’s internal structure and power balance would change completely as Turkey would become the largest decision-maker after Germany. Additionally, the Christian-dominated Union would have to conceive a strategy to successfully integrate an Islamic country. Needless to say, the decision at hand is not an easy one, but with advancing globalization, the EU should contemplate whether leaving the doors shut for Turkey is a good option.

First of all, Turkey’s accession would bear many advantages from a military perspective. The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF), which consist of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, are the military forces of the Republic of Turkey. The TAF is a member of the NATO, under which it has stationed 1,035 troops in Kabul, Afghanistan where Turkey showed loyalty and commitment to the “Western World”. Apart from being a member of NATO, Turkey holds leadership of the Black Sea Naval Force of which Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia are also members. Together with Romania and Italy, Turkey comprises the Italian-Romanian-Turkish EU Battlegroup, which is under the control of the Council of the European Union. In addition to that, Turkey contributes to the Eurocorps, a standing army corps headquartered in Strasbourg. Therefore, Turkey’s relationship to the EU, at least on a military level, is already quite  strong and might foster bonds in other areas as well.

With regards to human rights, Turkey is definitely heading in the right direction. By having adapted the “Accession Partnership Document of the EU” and the “National Program for the Adoption of the EU Acquis” as principles, Turkey has made noticeable progress in developing human rights within its borders. To raise the consciousness of individual’s rights courses such as “Democracy and Human Rights” are being offered in high schools, universities and police academies. Additionally, new laws on protection of the family and prevention of violence against women were passed in March and the death sentence has been replaced by aggravated life imprisonment, whereas example countries such as the United States and Japan still use capital punishment. Despite these developments, Turkey still suffers from deficiencies in its justice system, freedom of speech and the protection of LGBT rights. Turkey is still very optimistic about solving these issues with a step by step approach.

The EU’s economy could benefit greatly from accession of Turkey. With an average economic growth of 7% in the first decade of the 21^th century, Turkey's economy has been thriving. This shows a very good reason as to why the European Union should have an interest in integrating the Turkish market. Another reason is the sheer size of market. If Turkey were admitted to the EU, an additional 75 million potential buyers would increase the demand for EU products significantly. The large population of Turkey could also be a source of young skilled workers. The age factor is also crucial as aging population of Europe will soon be in dire need of a younger workforce. Nevertheless, some economists oppose the accession of Turkey stating that the country’s GDP is quite low. In fact, it is less than half of the EU average. However, this argument becomes invalid when focused on Romania and Bulgaria because these countries have a very low GDP as well.

Even though the discussion about whether Turkey should join the European Union or not has been omnipresent for decades, the country made remarkable progress towards being accessed to the EU. Turkey being denied an accession would be a disastrous signal that would endanger the strong bond between Turkey and the EU. Financially, the European Union would only benefit from an accession, especially when taking into consideration that Turkey offers a vast amount of young laborers compared to the aging workforce of Europe. Furthermore, for most EU members the country is not an unknown ally. Turkey already cooperates with many business member states. Concerning military force, Turkey shares a strong bond with EU member countries, such as Italy, Romania and Bulgaria. Regarding the task force in Afghanistan Turkey demonstrated its loyalty too. If the European Union decides to unite its power with Turkey, it would become a non-competitive world power.