European Union–Turkey relations

Turkish and EU officials on Friday held first ever meeting in Brussels to discuss about a probable intelligence sharing agreement with Europol, one of the 72 requirements for visa-free travel for Turkish citizen, according to diplomatic sources.

Turkey and the European Union Commission will launch talks on Nov. 30 for an agreement between Ankara and the European Police Service (Europol) which is one of the benchmarks for visa free travel for Turkish nationals.

The European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn are meeting Turkish officials for talks focusing on Turkey's long-stalled membership bid.

Hahn said on Twitter that the two would address priority issues, including rule of law and human rights, during Thursday's meetings in Ankara, Turkey's capital.

The European Union will continue working with Turkey on the Syrian crisis, head of the EU delegation to Turkey said on Nov. 19.

Johannes Hahn, the European Union commissioner responsible for bloc enlargement negotiations and neighborhood policy, has called for an end to accession negotiations with Turkey.

Turkey's membership of the EU is not realistic in the foreseeable future, Hahn told Die Welt newspaper published Tuesday.

A coalition of NGOs entitled prEUgovor, which monitors Serbia's EU accession process, said on Thursday in a new report that key reforms in areas like the rule of law have stagnated or are even going backwards.

Turkey has been and stays an important partner to Romania, both on political and economic ground, and this reality is also confirmed by the solid strategic partnership between the two countries, which is built on a close traditional friendship, Romania's ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, Gabriel Sopanda said in an interview with AGERPRES.

The European Parliament on Tuesday decided to cancel 70 million euros in pre-accession funds earmarked for Turkey, as conditions to improve the rule of law were not met.

Members of the European Parliament's Budget Committee on Sept. 25 agreed to cancel 70 million euros in pre-accession funds earmarked for Turkey on grounds the conditions to improve the rule of law were not met. 

Turkey and the African Union Commission agreed on Sept. 10 over the framework of a Turkey-Africa business forum in Istanbul next month.