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content of “Matudes Report” which aimed at achieving the customs union with Turkey by the end of 1995. On 1 January 1996 the Custom Union that was planned
in Ankara Agreement entered into force.
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This Custom Union Program brought many benefits for Turkish economy. Trade figures after the completion of the Customs Union revealed that Turkey‟s
imports from the EU rose by 34.7 in 1996 compared to 1995 while the exports rose by only 3.6. The EU preserved as Turkey‟s biggest trading partner with a
52.9 share in Turkey‟s imports and 49.5 in exports. This profit continued in the next two years that in 1997 Turkeys exports to the EU rose from 12.2 billion dollars
to 13.4 billion dollars in 1998 and imports from the EU increased from 24 billion dollars to 24.8 billion dollars in the same period.
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Those achievements from Custom Union opened greater opportunity for Turkey to be accepted as EU member.
Eventually, there was one more progress for Turkish accession that in 13th of December 1997, Luxembourg Council summit declared that Turkey was eligible to
become the EU member. The Enlargement of the candidate status was officially recognized for Turkey in European Council Summit Meeting in Helsinki on 11
th
of December 1999.
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2. Another Effort of Turkey to Gain the Membership Status
Turkey has been striving very hard in the fight for full membership in the European Union to show that Turkey was serious and deserve to be one of
permanent member of EU. One of its efforts was by adopting the Harmonization
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Susanne Voigt, The Customs Union Between Turkey and the EU: How Did it Affect Turkey?, Durck Diplomica, Hamburg: 2008, p: 1
57
Republic of Turkey Ministry for EU Affairs, History of Turkey –EU Relations; 2011
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Republic of Turkey-Ministry for EU Affairs, Chronology Of Turkey- European Union Relations 1959 - 2009, 2011, [online database] available from:
http:www.abgs.gov.tr?p=112l=2 , accessed at 572014
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Package aimed to equalize the legal and the state system that was implemented in EU member states. This Harmonization Package was first enforced on February
19, 2002 and there were 8 steps of this policy that has been enforced by the Turkish Government before PM Erdogan period, there were:
1. The first harmonization package enacted a series of amendments to the Penal Code,
the Anti-terror Law, Law on the Establishment and Proceedings at the State Security Courts and the Code of Criminal Procedure in the context of the expansion
of the freedom of expression, the reduction of pre-trial detention periods and the safeguard provisions of the rights of prisoners.
2. The second package amended the Press Law, the Law on Political Parties, the Law
on Associations and the Law on Meetings and Demonstration Marches, the Law on Civil Servants, the Act on the Organization, Duties and Competences of the
Gendarmerie and the Act on Provincial Administration 3.
The third harmonization package abolished the death penalty, introduced provisions to the relevant codes paving the way for retrial, extended the freedoms of
expression and association, addressed the legal conditions pertaining to real estate held by community foundations, provided for changes in provisions on education
and broadcasting vis-à-vis cultural rights and continued to bring national legislation into alignment with the constitutional amendments.
4. The fourth harmonization package engendered significant changes in the context of
the expansion of the freedom of association, deterrence against torture and mistreatment, and safeguard provisions on the rights of prisoners.
5. The fifth harmonization package includes provisions on retrial and on the freedom
of association.
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6. The sixth harmonization package introduced significant legal changes expanding
the freedom of expression, safeguard provisions on the rights of prisoners, religious freedom, right to life and retrial
7. The seventh harmonization package introduced significant changes in the context
of the expansion of the freedom of expression, freedom of association, safeguard provisions on the rights of prisoners, religious freedom, the rights of children,
cultural rights, civilian-military relations and the functionality of the executive. 8.
The eighth Harmonization Package abolished the death penalty and replaced with aggravated life sentence with the amendment of various laws.
The impact of the harmonization packages on life in Turkey has been revolutionary. The harmonization packages changed existing legislation to
improve human rights, strengthen safeguards against torture and mistreatment, and broadened freedom of expression. Today, Turkey is free, more self-confident,
more stable, more developed and more prestigious than it was before December 1999.
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3. Turkish Motives Behind Its Application
