Turkey belongs in Europe say Miliband, Hague and Rehn

The Foreign Policy Centre launches new pamphlet: 'Turkey in Europe: The economic case for Turkish membership of the European Union'

3 November 2008

Granting Turkey membership of the European Union will help to achieve European economic and energy security, it is claimed in a new pamphlet being published this week (5 November) by the Foreign Policy Centre (FPC), with the support of Business for New Europe.

The publication of the pamphlet, entitled 'Turkey in Europe: the economic case for Turkish membership of the European Union', will coincide with the release of the European Commission's progress report on Turkish accession to the EU.

The pamphlet, which includes prefaces by David Miliband and William Hague and contributions from Commissioner Olli Rehn, academics and business people, sets out the pragmatic economic case in favour of Turkish accession, and examines issues including: trade, economic reform, energy, investment and migration. It also examines the political challenges faced by both sides in making accession a reality.

It asserts that European business needs to lead the way and emphasises that Europe's political elites must grant EU membership if Turkey meets the challenges that form part of the accession process.

David Miliband says:

"Turkey is a partner of immense promise and its reform trajectory is likely to continue as long as the EU membership perspective feels real."

William Hague says:

"If the European Union rejects Turkey, it would be a statement that the Union's future is inward-looking, fearful of the world beyond its borders… Turkey can be a bridge between Europe and the wider Muslim world."

European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn says:

"Turkey's accession process is ongoing despite obstacles. We are committed to the process and we are honouring our commitment. …The liberalisation of services and public procurement (in Turkey) would provide new opportunities to EU companies and help generate growth and jobs in Europe… But Turkey needs to do more in order to open new chapters."

The pamphlet's editor, FPC Policy Director Adam Hug believes:

"Turkish membership signifies a choice for Europe between becoming an outward-looking union at peace with its internal diversity that prioritises the economic and security needs of its members, or an insular, almost parochial grouping, searching for an imagined cultural homogeneity. If Turkey succeeds in fully implementing the EU's accession criteria, which are the toughest requirements given to any candidate country, it will have earned the right to join the European Union."

Click on http://fpc.org.uk/fsblob/991.pdf to download the pamphlet in full.

Notes to editors

1. The pamphlet, edited by Adam Hug (Policy Director, Foreign Policy Centre), contains contributions from: Rt Hon David Miliband MP (Foreign Secretary), Rt Hon William Hague MP (Shadow Foreign Secretary), Olli Rehn (EU Enlargement Commissioner), Roland Rudd (Chairman, Business for New Europe), Dr Mehmet Ugur (University of Greenwich), Prof Refik Erzan (Bogazici University), Dr Bahadir Kaleagasi (TUSIAD, the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessman's Association), Sir Julian Horn Smith (Turkish-British Business Council) and Dr Gareth Winrow.

2. The pamphlet will be launched at a seminar on Wednesday 5 November, 6.00 – 7.30 pm in the Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House (House of Commons) with keynote speakers Peter Luff MP (Chairman, Business & Enterprise Select Committee), John Peet (Europe Editor, The Economist), Roland Rudd (Chairman, Business for New Europe), and Serra Kaleli (First Counsellor, Embassy of the Republic of Turkey). The event will be chaired by Bob Laxton MP (Chair, All-Party British-Turkish Parliamentary Group).

3. Both Adam Hug and Stephen Twigg, the Director of the FPC, will be available for interviews or briefings.

For further information or briefings please contact:

Adam Hug

Policy Director

020 7729 7566

07590 040975

adam.hug@fpc.org.uk

Anna Owen

Events and Research Officer

020 7729 7566

07882 018 302

anna.owen@fpc.org.uk

Download pamphlet in full (1.36 megabyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

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Full text 

Adam Hug (Ed.)

£4.95, plus £1 p+p.

Download the pamphlet (1.36 megabyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

This FPC pamphlet supported by Business for New Europe makes the economic and business case for Turkish membership of the European Union and outlines the political challenges faced by both sides in making accession a reality.

Edited by Adam Hug, it contains contributions from: Rt Hon David Miliband MP, Rt Hon William Hague MP, Commissioner Olli Rehn, Roland Rudd (Chairman, Business for New Europe) Dr Mehmet Ugur (University of Greenwich), Prof Refik Erzan (Bogazici University), Dr Bahadir Kaleagasi (TUSIAD, the Turkish business association), Sir Julian Horn Smith, (UK Co-Chair, Turkish British Business Council) and Dr Gareth Winrow (formerly of Istanbul Bilgi University).

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Date: Wed 5 November, 6.00-7.30pm

Venue: Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House, Houses of Parliament, Victoria Embankment, London SW1A 2LW

Speakers:

Peter Luff MP, Chairman, Business & Enterprise Select Committee

John Peet, Europe Editor, The Economist

Roland Rudd, Chairman, Business for New Europe

Serra Kaleli, First Counsellor, Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in London

Chair: Bob Laxton MP, Chair, All-Party British-Turkish Parliamentary Group

The Foreign Policy Centre, in partnership with Business for New Europe, launched a new pamphlet on 5 November that sets out a clear economic and business case for Turkish membership of the European Union. The event was timed to coincide with the release of the EU's report on progress accession and provided an opportunity to debate Turkey's progress towards accession, the challenges it still faces and the important economic and political linkages Turkey and the EU share.

The pamphlet, edited by Adam Hug at the Foreign Policy Centre, contains contributions from: Rt Hon David Miliband MP, Rt Hon William Hague MP, Commissioner Olli Rehn, Roland Rudd (Chairman, Business for New Europe) Dr Mehmet Ugur (University of Greenwich), Prof Refik Erzan (Bogazici University), Dr Bahadir Kaleagasi (TUSIAD, the Turkish business association), Sir Julian Horn Smith, (UK Co-Chair, Turkish British Business Council) and Dr Gareth Winrow (formerly of Istanbul Bilgi University).

Download the pamphlet in full at:

http://fpc.org.uk/fsblob/991.pdf

Wednesday 28 March, 2007

Time: 10.30am to 11.45am

Keynote speech: Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP

Chair: Stephen Twigg

Venue: Committee Room 9, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA PLEASE NOTE ROOM CHANGE(Access via St Stephen's Entrance)

Places are limited, please RSVP to: alex.bigham[at]fpc.org.uk

+44 (0)20 7729 7566

Download Alan Johnson's speech (30 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

Tuesday 6 March, 2007

Rt Hon Peter Hain MP

Chair: Stephen Twigg

Kindly hosted by:

Hill & Knowlton

20 Soho Square

London W1A 1PR

About the event:

Peter Hain spoke and took questions at a packed Foreign Policy Centre discussion on "The End of Foreign Policy?" kindly hosted at the offices of Hill & Knowlton.

Since the events of September 11th, the barriers between the domestic and the international have further broken down. The old definition of "the national interest" is too narrow a guide to foreign policy in a globalised world, but we are still developing the new rules which should replace it. How can we redefine a multilateral foreign policy to encompass this new dynamic? Today's foreign policy needs to be shaped by ideas, not by events.

You can download a copy of Peter Hain's speech below

Download Peter Hain's speech to the Foreign Policy Centre (50 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

Royal Netherlands Embassy, London

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The event report will be posted soon.

Download the event report (30 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

A seminar with:

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and

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Read the report.

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Click here to read the conference report.