![Sample our Politics & International Relations journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5947/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Politics-International-Relations.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
Turkey’s relations with the European Union are at a stalemate, with accession negotiations effectively frozen. Yet, Turkey opts into the EU acquis in multiple policy areas, where its voluntary compliance-prior to or an alternative to accession, could be conceptualized as external differentiated integration. We analyse Turkish compliance into the EU acquis in one policy area: Development policy. We assess Turkey’s opting into the EU rules on development policy from the perspective of three key factors, institutional structure, volume of aid and geographical focus. We argue that Turkey’s alignment with the EU development acquis is most visible in the institutional structure of Turkish foreign aid, and its increasing volume. Yet, there is also a highly visible divergence between Turkey and the EU in terms of geographical focus, acting as an element of competition in development policy. The transformation of Turkey’s development policy enhances Turkey’s opting into the EU acquis.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1. OECD Development Co-Operation Report 2017, Profiles of other development co-operation providers, Turkey, pp. 295–296. http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/development/development-co-operation-report-2017/profiles-of-other-development-co-operation-providers_dcr-2017-43-en ; February 2018.
2. ‘Juncker: Turkey’s EU membership out of question for now’, EU Observer, https://euobserver.com/tickers/138999, 13 September 2017.
3. Laura Pitel, ‘Erdogan dares Brussels to kill Accession Talks’, Financial Times, 6 September 2017. https://www.ft.com/content/1285e646-930a-11e7-a9e6-11d2f0ebb7f0.
4. The interviews were conducted in Brussels in February 2016 and March 2017. Interviews with Turkish officials were not possible due to the political situation.
5. Interview, DG NEAR, responsible from Turkey, Enlargement Negotiations, Brussels, 15 February 2016.
6. Interview, DG DEVCO, Brussels, 21 March 2017.
7. OECD, Turkey’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) http://www.oecd.org/dac/dac-global-relations/turkeys-official-development-assistanceoda.htm ; accessed in February 2018.
8. Interviews, DG NEAR and DG DEVCO, Brussels, 21 March 2017.
9. Interview, DG ECHO, Brussels, 18 February 2016.
10. Interview, DG DEVCO, Brussels, 21 March 2017.
11. Interviews, DG DEVCO and the EEAS, Brussels, 21–22 March 2017.
12. TIKA, http://www.tika.gov.tr/en/page/organisation_law-8529,; Official Gazzette http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2011/11/20111102-1.htm, accessed in February 2018.
13. Interview, the EEAS, Brussels, 6 December 2013.
14. Interviews, DG NEAR and DG DEVCO, Brussels, 21 March 2017.
15. Interviews, DG DEVCO and the EEAS, Brussels, 21–22 March 2017.
16. European Commission, 2014 Regular Progress Report for Turkey, 8.10.2014, http://www.ab.gov.tr/files/IlerlemeRaporlari/2014_progress_report.pdf, accessed in February 2018.
17. European Commission, 2015 Regular Progress Report for Turkey, 10.11.2015, http://www.ab.gov.tr/files/5%20Ekim/2015_turkey_report.pdf, accessed in February 2018.
18. European Commission, 2015 Regular Progress Report for Turkey, 9.11.2016, http://www.ab.gov.tr/files/pub/2016_progress_report_en.pdf, accessed in February 2018.
19. OECD Development Co-Operation Report 2017, Profiles of other development co-operation providers, Turkey, pp. 295–296. http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/development/development-co-operation-report-2017/profiles-of-other-development-co-operation-providers_dcr-2017-43-en ; accessed in February 2018.
20. Interviews, DG DEVCO and the EEAS, Brussels, 21 March 2017 and 16 February 2016.
21. Interview, the EEAS, Brussels, 22 March 2017.
22. European Commission (1998–2016), Turkey Progress Report, https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/sites/near/files/pdf/key_documents/2016/20161109_report_turkey.pdf.