Turkey, EU to revive talks to modernize customs union, Turkish minister says

Officials from the European Union and Turkey will restart talks next week on modernizing a customs union between the two sides, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday.

Turkey has been an official candidate to join the EU for 24 years, but accession talks have stalled in recent years over the bloc's concerns about human rights violations and respect for the rule of law.

In July, President Tayyip Erdogan called for a re-opening of Ankara's accession talks and said full membership remained a key strategic objective for Turkey.

Speaking at a news conference in Ankara following talks with EU enlargement commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, Fidan said he and Varhelyi had agreed to restart talks on the customs union, which aims to provide unhindered access for goods between the sides.

"Delegations will start convening as of next week and the efforts...