External differentiated integration : the modalities of Turkey’s opting into the European Union

Abstract

Turkey’s futures with the European Union has never looked so uncertain. Turkey’s relations with the European Union are at a stalemate, with accession negotiations effectively frozen. Yet, Turkey and the EU have a high degree of functional cooperation, where Turkey complies with the EU acquis. Turkey’s opting into the EU acquis in multiple policy areas, where its voluntary compliance-prior to or an alternative to accession, could be conceptualized as external differentiated integration. Turkey adjusts itself to the EU rules on foreign policy, customs union, Schengen regime, development policy to name a few. This paper looks at the varying degrees of Turkish compliance into the EU acquis, and proposes that Turkey will remain an integral part of the European integration.