EU – Türkei: Abgestufte Integration als Alternativmodell zur Vollmitgliedschaft?
EU - Turkey: Gradual Integration – An Alternative to Full Membership?

Summary/Abstract: The accession negotiations between the European Union (EU) and Turkey are the most complicated in the EU’s enlargement history. After Turkey’s refusal to expand the Customs Union to Cyprus, the EU decided towards the end of 2006 to freeze 8 of 35 chapters in the negotiation process. Although both sides underline their interest in Turkish accession, they discuss integration options beyond full membership. The main question is the following: Should the EU-Turkey cooperation be extended along deepening intergovernmental cooperation or along integrating Turkey into the supranational EU structures? The model of Gradual Integration enriches this debate and could develop into a realistic option for integration for the EU and Turkey. It foresees, on the basis of the neo-functionalist spill-over theory, a thematic and temporarily dynamic intergovernmental integration in three phases. This could be developed along the concepts "Core Europe" and "Europe of Variable Geometries". The novelty is that Gradual Integration provides Turkey with the right to participate in decision-making in the Council. Furthermore, Turkey would keep its status as an accession candidate, i.e. full membership would not be ruled out a priori. This is a key for Turkey and, at the same time, saves the EU from a loss of credibility.

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