Gümrük Birliği’nin Güncellenme Tartışmasına Farklı Bir Bakış: Tam Üyelik Sürecine Alternatif mi?

Turkey’s relations with the European Union began with Turkey’s application for associate on 31 July, 1959 and established a legal framework with Ankara Agreement which was signed on 12 September, 1963. According to the Ankara Agreement, the partnership relationship is divided into three periods: preparation, transition and final period. Customs Union, which was established on March 6, 1995 between Turkey and the European Community, brought a new dimension to Turkey–Community relations. During the final period of the Ankara Agreement Turkey’s economy began to recover. Recently, however, a more appropriate group have focused on the lack of Customs Union activity between Turkey and the Community. The terms of the agreement need to be updated, and a report has been prepared by World Bank regarding the assessment of the Customs Union. Within the framework of this report, it is foreseen that the economic relations between the two parties will be better by adding some areas in the Customs Union to the process. But this situation was brought to the agenda that the community wanted to establish a different relation except full membership with Turkey. In this context, this study will analyze whether updating of customs union pointed to relation except full membership in Turkey-the Community relations.