Commissie: onderhandelingen over toetreding Turkije kunnen beginnen, afloop staat niet vast (en)

Progress

"The Commission considers that Turkey sufficiently fulfils the political criteria and recommends that accession negotiations be opened".

Although no date has been recommended to start negotiations, significantly the Commission has suggested to EU-member states, who will have the final say on the matter in December, that Turkey has made enough progress in the political reform process to start talks.

Implimentation

"Implementation measures need to be further consolidated and broadened".

It is a yes, but. With major reforms already set out in law, the Commission has turned the focus squarely on implementation. Brussels is stressing the continuous nature of meeting the membership criteria, repeatedly describing it as 'a process' in a bid to keep pressure on Ankara.

Get out clause

"The Commission will recommend the suspension of the negotiations in the case of a serious and persistent breach of the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms".

Aside from keeping pressure on Turkey to implement reforms, the Commission is stressing that negotiations could be stopped at any time and that the process is open ended "whose outcome cannot be guaranteed before hand", giving the EU a stronger hand in negotiations and a little more flexibility.

Workers

"For the free movement of workers, permanent safeguards can be considered".

The EU has delayed the movement of workers before, as is the case with the EU members who joined in May this year, however it has never put permanent safeguards in place. In spite of it being one of the EU's four freedoms, pressure from Germany, which already has a substantial Turkish minority, meant that Commissioners agreed to raise the possibility of implementing permanent measures.

Time frame

"The EU will need to define its financial perspective for the period from 2014 before negotiations can be concluded".

Although there is no date for finishing negotiations, there is, de facto, a date for starting them. With Turkey unable to negotiate the financial terms of membership before the EU agrees on its budget from 2014 on, realistically Turkey cannot hope to join the EU for another nine years at least. Even then this could leave tricky portions of agriculture and other negotiations open until that date.