EU Parliament resolution of 12th March 2014 on the 2013 progress report on TURKEY

PROGRESS REPORT 2013 (OFFICIAL VERSION)

P7_TA-PROV(2014)0235 – 2013 progress report on Turkey - PE529.640
European Parliament resolution of 12 March 2014 on the 2013 progress report on Turkey (2013/2945(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Commission staff working document entitled ‘Turkey: 2013 progress report’ (SWD(2013)0417),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 16 October 2013 entitled ‘Enlargement strategy and main challenges 2013-2014’ (COM(2013)0700),

– having regard to its previous resolutions, in particular those of 10 February 2010 on Turkey’s progress report 2009[1], of 9 March 2011 on Turkey’s 2010 progress report[2], of 29 March 2012 on the 2011 progress report on Turkey[3], of 18 April 2013 on the 2012 progress report on Turkey[4] and of 13 June 2013 on the situation in Turkey[5],

– having regard to the Negotiating Framework for Turkey of 3 October 2005,

– having regard to Council Decision 2008/157/EC of 18 February 2008 on the principles, priorities and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with the Republic of Turkey[6] (‘the Accession Partnership’), and to the previous Council decisions of 2001, 2003 and 2006 on the Accession Partnership,

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 14 December 2010, 5 December 2011, 11 December 2012 and 25 June 2013,

– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

– having regard to the conclusions of the report of 26 November 2013 by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, which highlighted the inappropriate conduct of law enforcement officials during the Gezi protests,

– having regard to Rule 110(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas accession negotiations with Turkey were opened on 3 October 2005 and the opening of such negotiations is the starting point for a long-lasting and open-ended process based on fair and rigorous conditionality and the commitment to reform;

B. whereas Turkey has committed itself to the fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteria, adequate and effective reforms, good neighbourly relations and progressive alignment with the EU; whereas these efforts should be viewed as an opportunity for Turkey to continue its process of modernisation;