Türkiye’s EU Accession Process and Experience with the Use of Pre-Accession Funding: Some Important Lessons for Ukraine
Türkiye’s EU Accession Process and Experience with the Use of Pre-Accession Funding: Some Important Lessons for Ukraine

Author(s): Hüseyin Ali Âlî Tangürek, Andrej Horvat
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Economy, Business Economy / Management, Governance, Public Administration, EU-Approach / EU-Accession / EU-Development, Public Finances
Published by: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)
Keywords: Türkiye; EU accession; pre-accession funds; regional development; Ukraine
Summary/Abstract: This paper examines Türkiye’s experience with EU pre-accession funding, focusing on institutional alignment and regional development. It explores how Türkiye established a centralised yet multi-level framework for managing EU funds, shaped by national and regional planning. While municipalities and regional agencies participated in implementation, decision-making remained centralised. Türkiye successfully absorbed IPA funds and aligned with EU cohesion principles, yet challenges such as limited local ownership and declining fund flows under IPA III persist. The paper offers lessons for countries like Ukraine, recommending a phased, legally grounded model that balances strong central coordination with local empowerment.

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