On the 2025 Commission report on Türkiye

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the 2025 Commission report on Türkiye

(2025/2256(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the European Council conclusions of 17 and 18 April 2024, 30 June 2023, 23 June 2022, 24 June 2021 and 12 December 2019, and to all relevant previous Council and European Council conclusions,

– having regard to Türkiye’s membership of the Council of Europe and NATO,

– having regard to the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Turkey on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation1 (EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement),

– having regard to the statement of the members of the European Council of 25 March 2021 on Türkiye,

– having regard to the EU-Turkey statements of 18 March 2016 by the Council and of 29 November 2015 by the European Council,

– having regard to the EU’s Turkey Negotiating Framework of 3 October 2005,

– having regard to the declaration issued by the European Community and its Member States on 21 September 2005 following the declaration made by Türkiye upon its signature of the Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement on 29 July 2005,

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 11 December 2006 and 6 March 2020, and to the Presidency conclusions of the Copenhagen European Council of 21 and 22 June 1993, also known as the Copenhagen criteria,

– having regard to the Council conclusions on enlargement of 16 December 2025, 17 December 2024 and of 12 December 2023,

– having regard to the International Law of the Sea and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 4 November 2025 entitled ‘2025 Communication on EU enlargement policy’ (COM(2025)0690) and to the accompanying Commission staff working document entitled ‘Türkiye 2025 Report’ (SWD(2024)0756),

– having regard to the European Court of Auditors Special Report 06/2024 of 24 April 2024 entitled ‘The Facility for Refugees in Turkey – Beneficial for refugees and host communities, but impact and sustainability not yet ensured’,

– having regard to the joint communications from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 29 November 2023 (JOIN(2023)0050) and of 22 March 2021 (JOIN(2021)0008) on the state of play of EU-Türkiye political, economic and trade relations,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 25 September 2025 entitled ‘Ninth Annual Report of the Facility for Refugees in Türkiye’ (COM(2025)0517),

– having regard to the fundamental principles of international law and to the UN Charter, the 1977 and the 1979 High-Level Agreements between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, and the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council on Cyprus, including Resolution 186 (1964) of 4 March 1964, which reaffirms the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus, Resolution 550 (1984) of 11 May 1984 on secessionist actions in Cyprus, Resolution 789 (1992) of 25 November 1992, and Resolution 2537 (2020) of 28 July 2020 on the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP),

– having regard to Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which states that the contracting parties undertake to abide by the final judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in any case to which they are parties, and to the ensuing obligation of Türkiye to implement all judgments of the ECtHR,

– having regard to the relevant resolutions of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe,

– having regard to Declaration 12(2025) of the Congress of the Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe of 27 March 2025, entitled ‘Dismissals of Mayors in Türkiye’,

– having regard to the report adopted by the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe at its session of 9 and 10 October 2025 on the impact of the pre-trial detention of mayors on the exercise of local democratic governance,

– having regard to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders,

– having regard to the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International,

– having regard to the document of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of 22 November 2025, entitled ‘Republic of Türkiye: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Mission’,

– having regard to the UNESCO statement of 10 July 2020 on Hagia Sophia, and to the relevant UNESCO World Heritage Committee decisions 44 COM 7B.58 (2021) and 45 COM 7B.58 (2023) on historic areas of Istanbul, adopted at the 44th and 45th sessions respectively,

– having regard to all its previous resolutions on Türkiye,

– having regard to its resolution of 29 February 2024 on deepening EU integration in view of future enlargement2,

– having regard to its resolutions on Cyprus,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0000/2025),

A. whereas Türkiye remains a candidate for EU accession, and EU membership remains the repeatedly declared political goal of the Turkish Government, although the gap with the values and interests of the EU is continuing to grow;

B. whereas in its latest progress report of 2025, the Commission once again identified in Türkiye serious backsliding in the rule of law and a deteriorating human rights situation, and raised questions about adherence to basic democratic principles;

C. whereas the recent period has been marked by a severe deterioration in local democracy in Türkiye;

D. whereas Türkiye is a member of the Council of Europe and is therefore bound by the judgments of the ECtHR;

E. whereas Türkiye is going through a political process entitled ‘Terror-free Türkiye’, with the aim of ending political violence and the Kurdish conflict;

F. whereas beyond the accession process, constructive engagement in EU-Türkiye relations is needed;

G. whereas Türkiye continues to host the one of the largest refugee populations in the world;

H. whereas Türkiye’s alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy has reached an all-time low of 4 %;

I. whereas the EU-Türkiye trade relationship is particularly extensive, with Türkiye being the EU’s fifth largest trading partner and the EU being Türkiye’s largest trading partner;

Commitment to EU accession

1. Reaffirms its appreciation for the long-standing aspirations of Turkish civil society regarding accession to the European Union, despite the persistent lack of progress;

2. Stresses the normative, non-transactional nature of the EU accession process, which is contingent on fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria and is not bound by any deadline;

3. Notes with regret that despite the Turkish Government’s repeated statements recommitting to the goal of EU membership, serious concerns regarding shortcomings affecting the accession process have not been addressed; considers this a clear signal of the Turkish Government’s lack of real commitment to reviving the accession process;

4. Invites the Turkish government to move from rhetoric to action and to address the persistent shortcomings in the areas of the rule of law and fundamental freedoms;

5. Reiterates, nevertheless, that, while the accession process has been at a standstill since 2018, Türkiye remains a strategic partner and NATO ally, and a country with which the EU has intricate relations in the areas of security, trade, the economy and migration;

6. Is deeply concerned by the silence of other EU institutions, and many EU Member States, in the face of the erosion of the rule of law in Türkiye;

The core of the accession process: democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights

7. Expresses grave concern at the continuing serious erosion of the rule of law and judicial independence in Türkiye, in the framework of a deeply entrenched authoritarian interpretation of the presidential system;

8. Deplores the extensive use of double standards in the judiciary;

9. Urges Türkiye once again to fully implement all judgments of the ECtHR, in line with Article 46 of the ECHR and in line with the unconditional obligations derived from Article 90 of the Turkish Constitution;

10. Is deeply concerned by the growing constitutional crisis in Türkiye caused by the refusal of ordinary courts to comply with binding Constitutional Court judgments or other decisions of relevant higher judicial instances;

11. Deplores the continued targeting of political parties and members of the opposition, who continue to suffer increasing pressure; reiterates its strong condemnation of the continued detention and the removal from office of the Mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Ekrem İmamoğlu of the Republican People’s Party (CHP);

12. Is gravely concerned by the further deterioration of local democracy in Türkiye; strongly condemns the dismissals and arrests of 28 elected mayors from opposition parties and dozens of local officials, as well as the replacement of 11 mayors with trustees appointed by the government;

13. Continues to deplore the ongoing prosecution, censorship and harassment of journalists and independent media;

14. Remains deeply concerned about the situation of women’s rights, and particularly about the high level of gender-based violence and the high incidence of femicide in Türkiye;

15. Continues to condemn the ongoing violations and lack of protection of the fundamental rights of LGBTI+ persons in Türkiye;

16. Commends the Turkish authorities and political parties for their efforts within the context of the ongoing ‘Terror-free Türkiye’ initiative; regrets, nevertheless, the lack of timely and decisive action on the part of the Turkish Government;

Socio-economic and sustainability reforms

17. Welcomes the Turkish authorities’ ongoing macroeconomic stabilisation and reform programme, and their commitment to reducing inflation while protecting growth;

18. Notes that the continued erosion of the rule of law and legal certainty will inevitably have an impact on investor confidence and on the economy;

19. Calls on Turkish authorities to implement Türkiye’s international obligations in relation to the fight against corruption, in particular the UN Convention Against Corruption and the relevant Council of Europe conventions;

Regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations

20. Continues to commend Türkiye for hosting around 2.7 million refugees, including 2.3 million Syrians under temporary protection;

21. Welcomes the continued dialogue between Greece and Türkiye, which can foster a constructive environment and further de-escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean;

22. Strongly reaffirms its view that the only solution to the Cyprus problem is a fair, comprehensive, viable and democratic settlement, within the agreed UN framework, on the basis of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with a single international legal personality, single sovereignty, single citizenship and political equality;

23. Stresses the key relevance of reinforcing EU-Türkiye cooperation in global security matters, particularly in the light of the changing geopolitical landscape and potential shifts in US foreign policy;

24. Regrets the low alignment of Türkiye with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP), which has decreased from 6 % in 2024 to a record low of 4 % in 2025;

Wider EU-Türkiye relations

25. Reiterates its firm conviction that, beyond the accession process, which is currently at a standstill because of the lack of democratic reforms, Türkiye is a country of strategic relevance; stresses the importance of maintaining constructive dialogue and deepening cooperation in areas of mutual strategic interest;

26. Supports deepening the connectivity agenda with Türkiye in the fields of energy, transport, digital and people-to-people contacts, as an example of good pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation with the potential to foster peace and stability in the region;

27. Reiterates its view that modernisation of the EU customs union is needed, particularly given the current geopolitical landscape; underlines the fact that for Parliament to give its consent at the end of the process, such a modernisation would need to be based on strong conditionality related to human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for international law and good neighbourly relations;

28. Welcomes recent progress in facilitating mobility for Turkish citizens towards the EU through the visa cascade framework; calls on the Turkish Government to address the remaining obstacles preventing the reopening of the visa liberalisation dialogue;

The way forward for EU-Türkiye relations

29. Reiterates its view that the Turkish Government has neglected to take the necessary steps to address the existing fundamental democratic shortcomings within the country and therefore maintains that Türkiye’s EU accession process cannot be resumed in the current circumstances, despite recent calls by relevant Turkish opposition figures advocating renewed engagement;

30. Continues to urge the Turkish Government and the EU institutions and Member States to keep working, beyond the currently frozen accession process, on the basis of the relevant Council and European Council conclusions and the established conditionality, towards a closer, more dynamic and strategic partnership;

31. Urges all the other EU institutions and the Member States to be vocal in addressing the democratic backsliding in Türkiye;

32. Reiterates its utmost commitment to sustaining its support for Türkiye’s independent civil society;

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33. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

This is the second report in this legislature on the progress of Türkiye as a candidate country to the EU. The report evaluates the state of play and latest developments with regard to Türkiye’s accession progress and also the broader relations between the EU and the country. Accession negotiations with Türkiye have remained at a standstill since 2018, in line with the European Council Conclusions. The report argues that, despite the Turkish Government’s recent statements on its commitment to the EU membership, the gap between Türkiye and the EU’s values and normative framework – which are at the core of the accession process – has remained unaddressed during the last period with persisting laws and measures aimed at curtailing the rule of law and fundamental rights. The report calls once again to put an end to the constant attacks on the rights of members of the opposition, denouncing in particular the situation of the CHP and its presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, artists, academics and civil society activists, among others. The report is highly critical with the silence of other EU institutions and many EU Member States, in the face of the erosion of the rule of law in Türkiye, urging them to be more vocal in this regard. As a conclusion, given the lack of improvements by the Turkish authorities with regard to the democratic backsliding in the country, the report expresses that the Parliament has no other option but to reiterate that Türkiye’s EU accession process cannot be resumed in the current circumstances. The text urges the Turkish Government and the European Union’s institutions and Member States to keep working, beyond the currently frozen accession process, towards a closer, more dynamic and strategic partnership.

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he included in his report input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that he received, in the preparation of the draft report, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register1, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register

European Commission - DG ENEST

European External Action Service (EEAS)

Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Türkiye

European Committee of the Regions

Council of Europe

Ambassador of Spain to the Republic of Türkiye

Ambassador of France to the Republic of Türkiye

Ambassador of Denmark to the Republic of Türkiye

Embassy of Germany to the Republic of Türkiye

Permanent Representation of Greece to the EU

Permanent Representation of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU

UNHCR

UNICEF

EUROCITIES

The German Marshal Fund (GMF)

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace - Carnegie Europe

Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD)

Antalya Industry & Business Association (ANSİAD)

Human Rights Association (İHD)

Human Rights Watch

Amnesty International

European Women’s Lobby

Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

International Press Institute (IPI)

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)

EuroMed Rights

Article 19

Friedrich Ebert Stiftung

Istanbul Political Research Institute (IstanPol)*

European Turkish Trade & Investment Council (ETTIC)*

Istanbul Bar Association*

Union of Turkish Bar Associations*

Human Rights Joint Platform (IHOP)*

KAOS GL*

Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA)*

Civic Space Studies Association (CSSA)*

Saturday Mothers*

Women’s Coalition of Turkey*

Freedom of Expression Association*

Association for Monitoring Equal Rights (AMER)*

Hrant Dink Foundation*

* Organization based in Türkiye

2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye

Ministry of Treasury and Finance of Türkiye

Ministry of Interior of Türkiye

Permanent Representation of the Republic of Türkiye to the EU

Grand National Assembly of Türkiye

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality

Ankara Metropolitan Municipality

Muğla Metropolitan Municipality

Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye (TİHEK)

Justice and Development Party (AK Party)

Republican People’s Party (CHP)

Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party)

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)

The Good Party (IYI)

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.