Eu and Turkey

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

The European Union is a group of European countries, committed to work together for peace and prosperity. The historical roots of the European Union (EU) lie in the Second World War. "It was proposed by the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman in 1950 to prevent killing and destruction from ever happening again". At the beginning co-operation between EU countries was about trade and the economy.

The Euro is the name of the single European currency that was put into circulation on January1, 2002. The Euro has replaced the old national currencies in EU countries. Having a single currency makes it easier to travel and compare prices, and it provides a stable environment for European business. You can travel, study and work wherever you want in the European countries, if you are an EU citizen. In EU you can travel without carrying a passport and being stopped for check at the borders. You may buy anything you want, anywhere you want and take it back home with you.

History of EU

After the fall of Constantinople (Istanbul) to Turks in 1453, the first proposal for peaceful methods of unifying Europe against a common enemy emerged.

King of Bohemia proposed the creation of a union of Christian nations against the Turks in 1464.

In 1728 Abbot Charles de Saint-Pierre proposed the creation of a European League of 18 Sovereign states, with common treasury, no borders and an economic union.

In 1923 the Austrian Count Caudenhove-Kalergi founded the Movement Pan-Europa and hosted the first Paneuropean Congress held in Vienna. The Great Depression, rise of Fascism and World War II prevented this movement gaining support.

Winston Churchill gave a speech at the University of Zurich on the September 19, 1946 calling for a United States of Europe similar to the United States of America.

Finally, European Union grew out of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which was founded in 1951 by Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France and Italy. Later six countries founded the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM). The purpose of EEC was to establish a union among the six founding members based on the freedom of movement of goods, services, capital and people.It was established by the Treaty of Rome of 1957 and implemented on January 1, 1958.

The three European communities always had identical memberships and similar institutional structures. The Merger Treaty of July 1967 merged their councils and commissions into a single council and commission. In 1986 the single European act was signed. It was the first step towards the single European market. In 1992, the Maastricht treaty was signed, which modified the Treaty of Rome. It established the European Union. At the same time it established Economic and Monetary Union. The European Economic Area was founded in 1994 in order to allow European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries to participate in the single market without joining the EU. In 1997, the Treaty of Amsterdam was signed which updated the Maastricht treaty. In January 1999, eleven countries agreed to join the EU and abandon their existing currencies. On January 1, 2002, Euro notes and coins entered circulation.

EU enlargement dates:

1973: United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland

1981: Greece

1986: Spain and Portugal

1995: Austria, Sweden and Finland

2004: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus

EU Institutions

There are five EU institutions

"*European Parliament: Elected by the people of the member states

*Council of the European Union: Representing the governments of the member states

*European commission : Driving force and executive body

*Court of justice: Ensures compliance with the law

*Court of auditors: Controls lawful management of the EU budge"t

The European parliament is directly elected every five years. The members of the European Parliament sit in seven political groups. Each group reflects the political ideology of the national parties. Some members are not attached to any political group.

The Council of the European Union is the main legislative and decision making body in the EU. It brings together the representatives of the member state governments. They meet regularly at the level of working groups, ambassadors or ministers.

European Council laid down three major criteria that candidate countries must meet before they join the EU.

First; Candidate countries must have stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and protection of minorities.

Second; Candidate countries must have a functioning market economy and be able to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union.

Third; Candidate countries must adopt the entire body of EU law.

Until now, there are 25 EU member states. Bulgaria and Romania are likely to join in 2007. Turkey is also a candidate country. Turkey will join when all the conditions for membership are met.

Turkey Profile

The lands of Turkey are located at a point where the Asia, Africa and Europe are closest to each other. Geographically the country is located in the northern half of the hemisphere at a point that is about halfway between the equator and the north pole, at a longitude of 36 to 42 degrees N and a latitude of 26 to 45 degrees E. Turkey is roughly rectangular in shape and is 1,660 kilometers wide. Because of its location the mainland of Anatolia has been the birthplace of many great civilizations. It has also been a center of commerce because of its land connections to three continents and the sea surrounding it on three sides.

Turkey is democratic, secular and social state governed by the rule of law; committed to the nationalism of Ataturk and based on the principle of the separation of powers. %99 of the population is Muslim. Turkey is the only country among Islamic countries, which has included secularism in its Constitution and guarantees complete freedom