Turkey’s accession to the European Union: debating the most difficult enlargement ever

Official URL: http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/sais_review/v026/26.1grigoriadis.html

This study focuses on the intricacies of Turkey’s prospective membership in the European Union. It begins with a chronology of EU-Turkey relations and an account of the debate on the future of the European Union, which relates to Turkey’s prospective E.U. membership. It then explores the strategic implications of Turkey’s accession to the European Union and addresses recent developments on the issue, with an emphasis on the start of accession negotiations on Oct. 3, 2005. In conclusion, this study highlights the factors that may have an impact on the outcome of EU-Turkey accession negotiations in the coming years.