EU opens new chapter in Turkey membership talks
Cavusoglu - Hahn - Photo EC
(BRUSSELS) - The EU opened a new chapter on financial and budgetary provisions in accession talks with Turkey Thursday - the twelfth meeting of the country's accession conference at ministerial level.
Accession negotiations with Turkey started in October 2005. Turkey's accession process is set to move forward with the opening of a new chapter on financial and budgetary provisions on 30 June 2016.
The EU delegation was headed by Ducth foreign minister Bert Koenders for the EU presidency and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn. The Turkish delegation was led by EU affairs minister Omer Çelik and chief negotiator, accompanied by foreign minister Mevlut Çavusoglu.
Chapter 33 - Financial and budgetary provisions - covers the rules concerning the financial resources necessary for the funding of the EU budget ('own resources'). These resources are made up mainly from so-called traditional own resources from customs and agricultural duties and sugar levies, which are levied by the Member States on behalf of the EU; furthermore a resource based on value-added tax; and finally, a resource based on each Member State's gross national income. Member States must have appropriate administrative capacity to adequately co-ordinate and ensure the correct calculation, collection, payment and control of own resources. The acquis in this area is directly binding and does not require transposition into national law.
At the conference, the EU extended condolences and solidarity with Turkey following the terrorist attack in Istanbul last Tuesday, reaffirming its pledge to support fighting terrorism.
The European Union also reiterated the importance it attaches to the close relations between the EU and Turkey, noting the close cooperation in a number of important areas of common interest, such as migration, counter-terrorism, energy, economy and trade.
Sixteen chapters have been opened since the start of accession negotiations in 2005, of which only one has been provisionally closed.