Turkey under fire in EU report

The European commission has hit out at Turkey’s failure to implement key reforms in a critical progress report.

The commission’s annual report published on Wednesday says the pace of reforms in Turkey has slowed.

It calls for urgent steps to ensure freedom of speech and improve human rights.

Troubled relations with Cyprus also continue to overshadow membership talks.

Freedom of expression

The commission says Article 301 of the country’s Penal Code threatens to “create a climate of self-censorship” in Turkey.

The article sets out punishments for insulting the Turkish Republic, its officials or "Turkishness."

“Prosecutions and convictions for the expression of non-violent opinion under certain provisions of the new Penal Code are a cause for serious concern,” the commission report reads.

EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn said the “infamous article” is being abused by nationalist lawyers.

“I have been calling for action on this for the past two years,” he told reporters.

“We have recently seen that the interpretation of new Penal Code is going in the wrong direction.”

The commission report concludes that “freedom of expression in line with European standards is still not yet guaranteed.”

Torture and civil rights

The EU executive is concerned that cases of torture and ill-treatment are still being reported.

“The human rights situation in the south east raises particular concerns,” the report notes.

Brussels is also concerned that women’s rights in parts of the south east are not adequately protected.

Cyprus

The EU executive avoided derailing membership talks over the Cyprus issue on Wednesday.

The commission is hoping that the stalemate can be resolved through a final diplomatic push in time for a decision at a December summit of EU leaders.

The enlargement commissioner side-stepped questions over whether Turkey talks could be suspended over the issue.

He instead pinned his hopes on reaching a settlement by the end of the year.

“The Finnish presidency is doing all it can to unblock this situation,” Rehn told reporters.

“It is not right to make a strong request on this now. We will make a recommendation if Turkey does not do something before the December council.”

Although no formal recommendation was made on Wednesday, the commission remains concerned at the lack of progress in this area.

The report finds that “no progress has been made on any aspects of normalising relations with the Republic of Cyprus.”

Ankara is refusing to implement the 2004 Ankara protocol, which extended its customs union to all 25 members of the EU.

Turkey says it will not open its ports to Cyprus until the EU ends its trade embargo of northern (Turkish) Cyprus.

“Turkey has not yet fully implemented the Additional Protocol extending the EC-Turkey Association Agreement to the ten member states that acceded on 1 May 2004,” the commission report notes.

“The EU expects full…implementation of the Additional Protocol, and the removal of all obstacles to the free movement of goods.”

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