Member state of the European Union

BRUSSELS - Catalonia and Kosovo are "not comparable" cases as Spain is an EU member state, a European Commission (EC) spokesman said on Monday after the EC declared the Catalan referendum unconstitutional.

In a comment on the matter, Margaritis Schinas said the recognition of Kosovo had been a very specific context with very specific reasons.

Tibor Varadi thinks the stance that Kosovo and Catalonia are not comparable because Spain is an EU member does not have a foothold in international law.

Tibor Varadi thinks the stance that Kosovo and Catalonia are not comparable because Spain is an EU member does not have a foothold in international law.

Turkey will not lose anything if it fails to become a member of the European Union, Turkish President Recep Erdogan said, quoted by the Anadolu agency.

The Turkish president says his country has outgrown its need for EU membership which has been characterized by rocky accession talks over the course of 12 years. Recep Erdogan also accused Europe of harboring terrorists.

"To tell the truth, we don't need EU membership anymore," he told parliament in a speech Sunday.

An update of the customs unions agreement with the European Union will be beneficial for ties between Turkey and the EU, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said on Sept. 27. 

"The update will be the most positive platform for our relations with the EU in upcoming period. I expect no obstacle in this regard," said Zeybekci, speaking at the Istanbul Financial Summit.

The European Commission said on Wednesday it is "high time" that Bulgaria and Romania become full members of the Schengen area and urged the Council of the EU to take the necessary actions in this regard, SeeNews reported.

Germany's Federal Minister for the Interior, Thomas de Maiziere sees no chance of a quick accession of countries such as Bulgaria and Romania, to the Schengen area, the daily newspaper Die Berliner Zeitung reports.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has proposed in his speech today the creation of a special "instrument" to support, including financially, EU countries wishing to switch from their national currency to the euro.

Romania and Bulgaria have finally been granted permission to join the Schengen Area paving he way for citizens to move freely throughout the bloc.

EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker made the announcement in his state of the union address on Wednesday.

He said: "It is high time to bring Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen Area.