The Agreement Creating An Association Between The Republic of Turkey and the European Economic Community, commonly known as the Ankara Agreement ( tr, Ankara Anlaşması), is a
treaty
A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal pe ...
signed in 1963 that provides for the framework for the co-operation between
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
and the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
(EU).
Background
Turkey first applied for associate membership of the
European Economic Community (EEC) in July 1959, the EEC having been established in 1958. The EEC responded by suggesting the establishment of an association as an interim measure leading to full accession. This led to negotiations which resulted in the Ankara Agreement on September 12, 1963.
Agreement
The Ankara Agreement was signed on 12 September 1963 in
Ankara
Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...
. The Agreement initiated a three-step process toward creating a customs union to help secure Turkey's full membership in the EEC. Upon creation, the customs union would begin the integration of economic and trade policy, which the EEC considered necessary.
An Association Council, set up by the Agreement, controls its development and gives the Agreement detailed effect by making decisions.
In 1970, Turkey and the EEC agreed an Additional Protocol to the Agreement.
One part of the Agreement was to be financial assistance from the EEC to Turkey, including loans worth 175 million ECU during the period from 1963 to 1970. The results were mixed; EEC trade concessions to Turkey in the form of tariff quotas proved less effective than hoped, but the EEC's share in Turkish imports rose substantially during the period.
The Agreement sought the free circulation of workers, establishment and services, including virtually total harmonisation with EEC policies relating to the internal market. However, it excluded Turkey from political positions and precluded its recourse to the
European Court of Justice for dispute resolution to some extent.
With the European Union replacing the EEC with the entry into force of the
Lisbon Treaty
The Treaty of Lisbon (initially known as the Reform Treaty) is an international agreement that amends the two treaties which form the constitutional basis of the European Union (EU). The Treaty of Lisbon, which was signed by the EU member sta ...
, the Ankara Agreement now governs relations between Turkey and the EU.
Individual rights
The Agreement, its Additional Protocol and Decisions of the Association Council are part of EEC law. The
European Court of Justice has decided that these give specific rights to Turkish nationals and businesses that the EEC Member States are required by EEC law to respect.
Under Article 6(1) of Association Council Decision 1/80, Turkish nationals legally employed in an EEC member state for a certain period gain rights to remain or switch employment in that state:
* a Turkish national legally employed by the same employer for one year has the right to permission from the member state to remain in that employment;
* a Turkish national legally employed for three years in a particular area of work has the right to permission from the member state to take employment with any employer in that area;
* a Turkish national legally employed for four years has the right to permission from the member state to take employment with any employer.
A Turkish national who works legally as an
au pair
An au pair (; plural: au pairs) is a helper from a foreign country working for, and living as part of, a host family. Typically, au pairs take on a share of the family's responsibility for childcare as well as some housework, and receive a mon ...
or while a student can count as a worker.
judgment of the European Court of Justice in Case C-294/06 ''Payir'', 24 January 2008
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See also
*Accession of Turkey to the European Union
Turkey is negotiating its accession to the European Union (EU) as a member state, following its application to become a full member of the European Economic Community (EEC), the predecessor of the EU, on 14 April 1987.
After the ten founding ...
References
External links
Text of Ankara Agreement
Text of Protocols to the Ankara Agreement
Text of Association Council Decisions 1964-2000
{{Treaties of Turkey
Treaties entered into by the European Union
Treaties of Turkey
Treaties concluded in 1963
20th century in Ankara
Turkey–European Union relations
Economic history of Turkey