Turkish Accession and Defining the Boundaries of Nationalism and Supranationalism: Discourses in the European Commission

Abstract

The European Union in general and the European Commission in particular are characterised by supranational governance. The enlargement policy gives the Commission the opportunity to export and promote supranational norms and define the boundaries of Europe as a supranational polity through the conditionality of membership and intensive contact with the candidate countries. This article analyses the discourses of the Commission on Turkey and gives us insights into how well Turkey fits the supranational model in the eyes of Commission officials. It demonstrates how the boundaries of supranationalism are set and even challenged by the prospects of Turkey's accession.

Keywords:

• Turkey
• European Integration
• European Commission
• Nationalism
• Supranationalism
• EU Membership
• EU Enlargement

Notes

[1] For a counterargument, see Liesbet Hooghe's work (1999; 2001; 2005). She argues that the socialisation capacity of the Commission is limited at best and claims that the supranational norms the officials endorse have been acquired at the national level.

[2] These DGs are: Trade, Economic and Financial Affairs, Competition, Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Agriculture and Rural Development, Energy and Transport, Environment, Research, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Internal Market and Services, Regional Policy, Education and Culture, Justice, Freedom and Security and Enlargement.

[3] The respondents are hereafter referred to as COM (COM standing for the Commission and the digit standing for the number assigned to the interviewee).

[4] For British and French representations of the Turks in the eighteenth century, see Aslı Çırakman (2005).

[5] See Negotiating Framework (Turkey), 3 October 2005, available online at: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/st20002_en05_TR_framedoc.pdf#search = percent22percent22negotiating percent20framework percent22 percent2C percent22turkey percent22 percent22

[6] See, for example, Prodie (2004a, 2004b) and Rehn (2004, 2005).