Turkey – EU
(BRUSSELS) – MEPs on the EU Parliament’s budget committee agreed Tuesday to cancel EUR 70 million in pre-accession funds earmarked for Turkey, as they say conditions to improve the rule of law were not met.
During budgetary negotiations last November, the Parliament and EU Council decided to place in reserve EUR 70 million in pre-accession funds for Turkey (70m in commitment appropriations and 35m in payment appropriations). This was done under the condition that “Turkey makes measurable, sufficient improvements in the fields of rule of law, democracy, human rights and press freedom, according to the annual report of the Commission.”
However, the Commission’s annual report on Turkey, published on 17 April this year, concluded that “Turkey has been significantly moving away from the European Union, in particular in the areas of the rule of law and fundamental rights and through the weakening of effective checks and balances in the political system”.
The condition set by the budgetary authority has therefore not been met, Members of the Committee on Budgets underlined.
They accordingly supported the draft amending budget 5/2018, in which the Commission proposes transferring the 70 million earmarked for Turkey to reinforce the European Neighbourhood Instrument through commitment appropriations – to cover actions linked to the Central Mediterranean migratory route and to fulfil part of the EU pledge for Syria – and to boost Humanitarian Aid by 35 million through payments appropriations.
To take effect, the draft amending budget has to be approved by a plenary vote in Parliament, scheduled for 3 October.
Further information, European Parliament
