Sittings · Document
Follow-up to the European Parliament non-legislative resolution on 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Türkiye
Rapporteur: Nacho SÁNCHEZ-AMOR (S&D / ES)
References: 2025/2023 (INI) / A10-0067/2025 / P10_TA(2025)92
Date of adoption of the resolution: 07 May 2025
Competent Parliamentary Committee: Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET)
Brief analysis/ assessment of the resolution and requests made in it:
The European Parliament’s 2025 resolution on Türkiye highlights continued concerns over democratic backsliding, deterioration of the rule of law, and widespread human rights violations, which are seen as obstructing Türkiye’s EU accession process. Despite Türkiye’s strategic importance and its declared commitment to EU membership, the report emphasises a lack of genuine political will to implement necessary reforms. Specific criticisms include the persecution of opposition figures, politically motivated arrests (notably of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu), suppression of free speech and press, abuse of anti-terror laws, and non-compliance with European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) rulings. The resolution also decries the erosion of judicial independence and increasing authoritarian governance, especially after the 2024 local elections.
On foreign policy and regional issues, the Parliament welcomes Türkiye's role in hosting refugees, its participation in migration management, and its economic resilience, but criticises its non-alignment with EU sanctions on Russia and involvement in Cyprus and Syria, which breach international law. The Parliament expresses concern over Türkiye’s increasing ties with alternative alliances like BRICS+ and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), viewing them as incompatible with EU membership. While it supports cooperation in trade, energy, and migration, the resolution stresses that only tangible progress in human rights, democracy, and rule of law will enable any resumption of the accession process or deepened partnership.
Response to requests and overview of action taken, or intended to be taken, by the Commission:
(Paragraph 19)
The dialogue on the rule of law and fundamental rights remains an integral part of the EU-Türkiye relationship. The overall rule of law situation in Türkiye, and the lack of implementation of certain ECtHR rulings in particular, have been consistently raised during meetings with the Turkish authorities, at different levels. The implementation of the relevant ECtHR rulings is also a key recommendation in the country report on Türkiye, adopted by the European Commission as part of the annual Enlargement package. The Commission has called on Türkiye’s authorities to align Turkish legislation and its implementation with the ECtHR case law. The Commission has made it clear that as an EU candidate country and long-standing member of the Council of Europe, Türkiye must uphold the highest democratic values.
In 2018, the European Council concluded that Türkiye has been moving further away from the EU and that Türkiye’s accession negotiations have therefore effectively come to a standstill. Given its continuous concern regarding the backsliding in the areas of rule of law, fundamental rights and the independence of the judiciary, over time the Commission has reduced the overall pre-accession funding to Türkiye and reoriented the financial support towards civil society, people-to-people contacts, and key EU priorities. A few projects were cancelled due to the lack of independence of the judiciary and no conditions for achieving meaningful results.
(Paragraph 29)
The Commission and the EU Delegation to Türkiye are engaged in regular monitoring missions to removal centres that receive financial assistance from the EU. The “Technical Assistance to Monitor the Performance of EU Support to Refugees in Türkiye” project ensures the independent and comprehensive monitoring of the EU-funded removal centres with two missions per year covering several removal centres, carried out by teams of qualified experts, also in the area of human rights. These monitoring missions are in addition to the EU Delegation’s monitoring visits, as part of its regular monitoring of implementation of EU-funded projects.
(Paragraph 61)
The support for civil society organisations (CSOs) is a key part of the EU funding for Türkiye. Under the current financial framework, the EU channels the assistance largely through the Civil Society Facility and Media Programme (under Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance), and to a smaller extent through the Human Rights and Democracy Programme (under Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument). EU support for civil society in Türkiye for the period 2021-2025 amounts to EUR 146 million. Another EUR 73.5 million are envisaged for the period until the end of 2027. The supported activities include building operational capacity of CSO, monitoring of human rights, cooperation between CSOs and local authorities, the right to freedom of expression, access to information and pluralism of media actors, environment and climate change. The EU-funded support seeks to promote and protect human and fundamental rights, namely gender equality, rights of groups belonging to minorities and in vulnerable situations, children, and rights of LGBTIQ+.
(Paragraph 55)
The Commission uses all available legal means under the Financial Regulation to ensure that individuals and organisations involved in activities incompatible with EU values or in unethical practices do not receive EU financial support.
The Commission is currently investigating allegations in the press concerning certain EU-funded educational projects in Türkiye for possible activities incompatible with EU values. As a precautionary measure, it asked the Turkish national agency responsible for the implementation of Erasmus+ to suspend the contracting process until there is clarity on the matter. The Commission will not hesitate to take appropriate measures if it establishes that the entity is responsible of an unlawful conduct.