Source: European Parliament
Türkiye is a candidate country and a longstanding partner in the Common Security and Defence Policy . Respect of rule of law and progressive alignment with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy are integral parts of the EU-Türkiye relationship.
The EU recognises the contribution of all non-EU allies, including Türkiye, to the European and Transatlantic security. The EU is engaging with Türkiye on a phased, proportionate and reversible manner in line with the November 2023 recommendations of the ‘Joint Communication on the state of play of the EU-Türkiye political, economic and trade relations’[1] and the Conclusions of the European Council of April 2024[2].
The Council has reiterated the EU’s full commitment to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, within the United Nations agreed framework, in accordance with all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. It remains crucial that Türkiye commits and actively contributes to such a peaceful settlement[3].
The existing European defence initiatives, such as the European Defence Fund[4] or Act in Support of Ammunition Production[5] specify that eligible entities should be established and have their executive management structures in the EU or in an associated country. In case such entity is controlled by a non-associated third country or a non-associated third-country entity, additional guarantees need to be made available to the Commission. These guarantees should provide assurance that the involvement of such entity does not contravene the security interests of the EU and its Member States.
The proposed Regulation on Security Action for Europe[6] is under discussion in the Council and the conditions for cooperation with partners will be settled in this regulation, once adopted.
- [1] https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2023-11/Joint%20Communication%20to%20the%20European%20Council%20-%20State%20of%20play%20of%20EU-Turkiye%20political%2C%20economic%20and%20trade%20relations.pdf.
- [2] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/m5jlwe0p/euco-conclusions-20240417-18-en.pdf.
- [3] https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-16983-2024-INIT/en/pdf.
- [4] https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/eu-defence-industry/european-defence-fund-edf-official-webpage-european-commission_en.
- [5] https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/eu-defence-industry/asap-boosting-defence-production_en.
- [6] https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/document/download/6d6f889c-e58d-4caa-8f3b-8b93154fe206_en?filename=SAFE%20Regulation.pdf.