D-TR - European Parliament

General documents - Meeting of 15 June 2023 in Strasbourg - Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 19:55:06 GMT

This delegation meeting took place on 15 June 2023 in Strasbourg.

The meeting was dedicated to the EU-Türkiye relations in light of the outcome of the May 2023 parliamentary and
presidential elections.

The Members of the European Parliament held an exchange of views with Ms Amberin ZAMAN, Senior Correspondent for Al-Monitor, reporting from the Middle East, North Africa and Europe and Mr Paul T. LEVIN, Docent, Ph.D., Director of the Stockholm University Institute for Turkish Studies (SUITS) and Managing Director of the Consortium for European Symposia on Turkey (CEST).

Meeting documents
Meeting recording
Meeting agenda

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

General documents - Meeting of 13 April 2023 in Brussels - Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 19:54:53 GMT

The meeting of the Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) took place on Thursday 13 April 2023, 13.00-15.00, in Brussels, room ANTALL 4Q1.
The meeting was dedicated to an exchange of views on the security, integrity and fairness of the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections of 14 May in Türkiye.

Agenda
Dossier
Recording

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

General documents - JOINT STATEMENT BY D-TR CHAIR MEP SERGEY LAGODINSKY AND EP RAPPORTEUR ON TÜRKIYE MEP NACHO SÁNCHEZ AMOR - Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee

Mon, 15 May 2023 16:41:34 GMT

JOINT STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR OF THE DELEGATION TO THE EU-TÜRKIYE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE (JPC), MEP SERGEY LAGODINSKY, AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT STANDING RAPPORTEUR ON TÜRKIYE, MEP NACHO SÁNCHEZ AMOR

Brussels, 15 May 2023

"Yesterday Türkiye held presidential and parliamentary elections that will define the future of the country and its relations with the EU.

We acknowledge the peaceful manner in which the Turkish people conducted this process and applaud the high turnout. These are the proof of the citizens' strong democratic will. We regret however that, as reflected by the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission in its statement on preliminary findings and conclusions, the elections did not take place on a level playing field. Essential freedoms, such as the freedom of expression or association, continue to be heavily hindered by the current legal framework and practice.

We express our hope that the next stages of the election process will take place peacefully and in a democratic manner, and that the authorities will take measures to align the elections with Türkiye's international commitments."

JOINT STATEMENT BY CHAIR OF D-TR MEP SERGEY LAGODINSKY AND EP RAPPORTEUR ON TÜRKIYE MEP NACHO SÁNCHEZ AMOR

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

General documents - Meeting of 19 January 2023, Strasbourg - Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee

Mon, 15 May 2023 06:52:03 GMT

A meeting of the D-TR took place on 19 January 2023, from 10.00-11.30, in Strasbourg.

The main point of the agenda was the 80th EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee meeting.

Agenda
Dossier
Recording
Photos

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

General documents - STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR OF THE DELEGATION TO THE EU-TÜRKIYE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE (JPC) MEP SERGEY LAGODINSKY - Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee

Mon, 08 May 2023 15:17:22 GMT

Brussels, 8 May 2023

"Sunday's violent incidents, including the ruthless assault on a vehicle used by the Green Left Party (YSL) in Mersin and the brutal attack against the Nation Alliance's Vice-Presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu in Erzurum are outright attacks on democracy. My thoughts are with those who got injured. My solidarity is with Turkish people whose democratic right to vote is threatened by such attacks. The upcoming elections in Türkiye are of crucial importance for the country, the region and the EU, and their fairness will be an indicator for the Turkish democracy's chances of survival and state of resilience. I strongly condemn these acts of violence and all other attempts to disrupt, obstruct or otherwise influence the upcoming elections. I call on the authorities to do whatever it takes to guarantee both the safety of the elections and a level playing field for all political competitors."

STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR OF THE DELEGATION TO THE EU-TÜRKIYE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE (JPC) MEP SERGEY LAGODINSKY

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

General documents - JOINT STATEMENT OF THE CO-CHAIRS OF EU-TÜRKIYE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE - Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 07:09:34 GMT

The 80th meeting of EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), which was scheduled on 21-22 February 2023 in Ankara, has been postponed to the earliest convenience due to the devastating series of earthquakes that occurred in Türkiye on 6 February 2023.

The two earthquakes and aftershocks have directly affected 10 provinces with a population of 13.5 million in Türkiye as well as northern parts of Syria.

As the Co-Chairs of the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee, we are deeply saddened by the loss of lives that has hit, so far, almost 30.000 and by the terrible devastation and suffering of those who have been injured or lost their loved ones. We express our deepest condolences to the victims and their families. We wish a speedy recovery to the injured ones. We strongly praise those who have bravely taken part in search and rescue works by disregarding threats to their own lives.

We are at the same time grateful to EU Member States, institutions and officials for their solidarity as well as swift and generous assistance in the very aftermath of the disaster. Following the request of Türkiye for the activation of EU Civil Protection Mechanism, Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) have displayed vivid example of solidarity and partnership. In addition, the timely activation of the EU's Copernicus satellite system has been lifesaving in providing emergency mapping services.

Once again, our thoughts remain with the people of Türkiye and Syria at this difficult and challenging time. We wish to hold the 80th meeting of the JPC at a date of the earliest convenience for both sides.

İsmail Emrah Karayel Sergey Lagodinsky

JOINT STATEMENT OF THE CO-CHAIRS OF EU-TÜRKIYE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

General documents - Disastrous earthquake in Türkiye: Statement by the Chair of the EP Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee Sergey Lagodinsky - Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 16:32:35 GMT

Brussels, 6 February 2023

Reading the news about the disastrous earthquake and aftershocks in southern Türkiye fills me with grief. I am shocked to see the images of widespread destruction, read about those who lost their lives, grieving relatives and destroyed families.

I would like to express my deep sympathy with everyone in Türkiye and the entire region affected by the earthquake, send condolences to those who lost their loved ones, and wish a speedy and full recovery to the injured.

As I am writing these lines, EU and many of its member states are already deploying humanitarian assistance and technical rescue equipment. I am pleased to see that the EU stands by the Turkish people in this critical moment. Let us work together to overcome the effects of this disaster by coordinated rescue efforts.

Disastrous earthquake in Türkiye: Statement by the Chair of the EP Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee Sergey Lagodinsky

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

General documents - Joint Statement of the Chair and the Rapporteur on the Türkiye's Claw Sword operation - Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 10:19:33 GMT

Leading MEPs are worried about possible escalation of violence after Türkiye has launched a military operation in Syria and Iraq.

Parliament's Standing Rapporteur for Türkiye Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, ES) and Chair of the EP Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, DE) issued the following statement following the launch of operation 'Claw Sword' by the Turkish military.

"The recent military operation in Northern Syria and Iraq has caused us great concern. While we acknowledge Türkiye's right of self-defence, we urge utmost caution as well as unambiguous respect for international law and human rights. We join European Parliament President Metsola and many others in their call on the Turkish authorities to exercise restraint in full respect of international standards. The civilian population should never be the victim of military self-defence. Use of force must always be duly justified, proportionate and within the boundaries of international law"

"We are genuinely concerned about a possible escalation of violence and the risk of increased instability both in the region and within Türkiye. Furthermore, we are worried about the possible surge in an already highly nationalistic narrative - widely shared across the political spectrum in the country - particularly ahead of the upcoming elections, which are due next year."

For further information contact:

Office of Mr Nacho Sánchez Amor, tel. +32 2 284 58 62, e-mail: nacho.sanchezamor@europarl.europa.eu

Office of Mr Sergey Lagodinsky, tel. +32 2 284 59 12, e-mail: sergey.lagodinsky@europarl.europa.eu

Press release
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Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Statement of the Chair and Rapporteur on the adoption of the ‘disinformation law’ by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye - Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 14:07:35 GMT

Parliament Standing Rapporteur for Turkey Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, ES) and Chair of the EU-Turkey Parliamentary Delegation Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, DE) issued the following statement following the adoption of the so-called 'disinformation law'.

"Last night, the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye adopted the 'draft law on the amendment of the press law and some laws', otherwise known as the 'disinformation law'. Following persecutions of independent print media, this law imposes more restrictions on online news sites and social media platforms. We are concerned about the introduction of severe prison sentences and other sanctions for alleged spreading of 'disinformation'. We find it particularly worrisome that the law uses distinctly vague wording and non-defined concepts such as 'disinformation' or 'public order', which leaves the door open for arbitrary prosecutions.

"We are also concerned about the timing of this legislation. With upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in Türkiye, we see substantial potential to further silence dissenting voices and increase self-censorship.

"We fully share the criticism of international civil society and international bodies that such interference with the freedom of expression is neither necessary nor proportionate to further the legitimate goals of public order, national security or public health."

Press release
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Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Statement of the D-TR Chair on the postponement of the 80th EU-Turkey JPC meeting, 21-09-2022 - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 15:58:57 GMT

The Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, DE) issued the following statement on the postponement of the 80th EU-Turkey JPC meeting, initially scheduled to take place in Kayseri, Turkey, on 20-21 September 2022:

"This week, a bilateral meeting of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee was planned to take place in Kayseri Turkey, following the invitation by our Turkish partners. Unfortunately, last week, the Turkish colleagues informed us that the meeting would be postponed.

The postponement of the meeting at very short notice is disappointing to us. It is especially regretful since the meeting would have taken place at an important moment of European history, which can become an essential juncture in our bilateral relationship.

The delegation of the European Parliament would have been represented by a diverse and strong group of Members, including the Chair, a vice-Chair of the delegation and the Standing Rapporteur of the European Parliament on Turkey, with MEPs coming from five member states and representing five leading political groups.

Apart from the status of Turkey's EU accession process, the Joint Parliamentary Committee planned to discuss foreign policy issues, including security policy cooperation as well as questions of democracy and rule of law.

We hope that a formal bilateral meeting will be possible in the near future. In this regard, I am in touch with my Turkish counterpart co-Chair İsmail Emrah Karayel. In parallel, we will continue our dialogue with the civil society of Turkey. In fact, this dialogue never ceased, and even intensified during this week despite the cancellation of the Joint Parliamentary Committee meeting.

Finally, we emphasize the importance of our cooperative work as parliamentarians. The function of our work is essential and neither a substitute nor an appendix to the dialogue between the Turkish government and the European Commission or member states. The European Parliament is a political branch of the EU on an equal footing. Inter-parliamentary dialogue is an essential independent channel of communication between elected representatives of our citizens. This channel shall continue to operate in its independent and constructive mode."

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Calendar of activities 2022 - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 13:21:25 GMT

Ordinary meetings

31 January 2022, Brussels

8 September 2022, Brussels

Joint Parliamentary Committee meetings

79th EU-Turkey JPC meeting, 17-18 March 2022, Brussels

80th EU-Turkey JPC meeting, 20-21 September 2022, Kayseri, Turkey - cancelled

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - 80th EU-Turkey JPC meeting, 20-21 September 2022, Kayseri, Turkey - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 13:20:47 GMT

The 80th EU-Turkey JPC meeting has been cancelled

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - 2022 resolution on the case of Osman Kavala in Turkey - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Thu, 05 May 2022 11:09:18 GMT

The Parliament condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the recent ruling by Istanbul's 13th High Criminal Court on 25 April imposing an aggravated life sentence on Osman Kavala, who was found guilty of attempting to overthrow the government. The verdict came after Mr Kavala had spent more than four and a half years in unjust, unlawful and illegitimate detention, and less than three months after the Council of Europe launched infringement proceedings against Turkey for refusing to implement the legally binding judgment of the European Court of Human Rights to release Mr Kavala.

MEPs also demand immediate and unconditional release for the co-defendants at the recent trial, who were sentenced to 18 years in prison on the same charges.

The resolution was adopted by a show of hands.

The adopted text will be available here

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Statement by the leading MEPs following the decision of a Turkish court to sentence rights activist Osman Kavala to life in prison, 25-04-2022 - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 07:56:29 GMT

"Turkey's judiciary has confirmed the worst of forecasts when convicting today Osman Kavala to aggravated life sentence on the account of allegedly attempting to overthrow the government. This regrettable decision by the Istanbul 13th Heavy Penal Court is in clear contempt to the rulings of the European Court on Human Rights and will surely bring about consequences in the infringement proceedings ongoing at the Council of Europe.

We express our full solidarity with Osman Kavala and the rest of the defendants in this "Gezi" trial -who also received heavy jail sentences- and with their families. Today is a very sad day not only for them but also for those who daily defend fundamental rights and the rule of law in Turkey and for all those who wish to see the country coming closer to the EU. This is obviously not the way to do it.

This decision reconfirms the authoritarian character of the current system and it clearly shows the lack of willingness to make any kind of real reforms in the field of fundamental rights and rule of law. In this view, there is little to none EU perspective for the current Turkey, which is sliding away from international consensus on a rule-based order while disrespecting its own international commitments.

The fact that one of the judges members of the tribunal was a candidate to the National Assembly for the ruling party is just another shocking example of how this case has been marred by political interference. The whole process for the last 4'5 years has been a succession of judicial manoeuvres in utter disregard of fair trial standards."

Press release 25 April 2022

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Statement of the Chair and Rapporteur on the Kavala trial: last chance for justice, 21-04-2022 - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 07:51:02 GMT

Statement by the leading MEPs ahead of the final hearing in Istanbul of the Gezi trial and in particular the case of businessman Osman Kavala.

Parliament Standing Rapporteur for Turkey Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, ES) and the Chair of the EU-Turkey Parliamentary Delegation Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, DE) issued the following statement ahead of the final hearing in Istanbul of the Gezi trial and in particular the case of businessman Osman Kavala, taking place on Friday, 22 April.

"Osman Kavala has spent 1.633 days of his life in prison. His continued imprisonment has been declared unlawful by the European Court of Human Rights (EctHR). Turkish courts and authorities have still the chance to put an end to this ordeal. This is not a matter of conceding to an external request, this is about Turkey respecting rule of law and its own legal system, as derived from its international commitments and enshrined in its own Constitution. The rulings of the EctHR ordering his immediate release are legally binding. By ignoring them, Turkey is now facing infringement proceedings that would further damage Turkey's international reputation.

To consolidate the recent EU-Turkey rapprochement, we need clear actions in the field of fundamental rights and rule of law, including an immediate release of Osman Kavala, in order to put back on track Turkey's EU accession process."

Background

The Foreign Affairs Committee Standing Rapporteur for Turkey Nacho Sanchez Amor will be in Istanbul on 22 April to attend Mr Kavala's trial as a sign of solidarity.

Turkey: last chance for justice in Kavala trial
Twitter

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - 79th EU-Turkey JPC meeting, 17 March 2022, Brussels - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 11:14:17 GMT

The 79th EU-Turkey JPC meeting took place on 17 March 2022 in Brussels semi-remotely.

The Members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee addressed the following subjects:

1. EU-Turkey relations and state of play of the accession negotiations;

2. Foreign and Regional Policy;

3. Democracy in Turkey and in the EU;

4. EU-Turkey Economic and Trade issues and the Green Deal.

Agenda
Meeting dossier
Webstreaming 17-03-2022 9:30-12:00
Webstreaming 17-03-2022 14:30-19:00
Statement by the Co-Chairs
Final Programme : [EN]

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Meeting of 25 October 2021 - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 17:53:54 GMT

The EP Delegation to the EU-Turkey JPC met on Monday, 25 October 2021 to discuss the state of play of the EU-Turkey relations and the situation of women, gender equality and Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.

Agenda
Meeting dossier
Webstreaming
European Gender Equality Week 2021
Tweet
Minutes

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Joint meeting of 21 June 2021 on Climate Change in the Mediterranean - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee - Delegation to the EU-Albania Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 14:57:44 GMT

On Monday, 21 June 2021 the European Parliament's Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey delegations held a joint meeting to discuss the Climate Change in the Mediterranean: situation of the UfM members in the enlargement area.

Members have exchanged views with the Vice President Mr Pedro SILVA PEREIRA, who spoke on behalf of the EP Presidency of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA - UfM), experts from the academia, European Commission and the civil society.

Agenda 21 June 2021
Meeting documents
Minutes 21 June 2021
Poster on Joint meeting on Climate Change in the Mediterranean

General documents - Joint meeting of 11 May 2021 on Gender Equality & Women's Rights (remote) - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 14:57:36 GMT

A Joint Western Balkans and Turkey Delegations' Meeting on Gender Equality & Women's Rights took place remotely via Webex on 11 May 2021.

In this meeting, Members had the possibility to discuss the state of play in gender equality and women's rights with local civil society and academia experts.

The meeting was organised under the patronage of the Chairs of the EP Enlargement delegations and was presided by Mr Tonino Picula, Chair of the AFET Working group on the Western Balkans.

Agenda
Summary of the meeting
Poster
Minutes

General documents - Meeting of 15 April 2021 (remote) - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 14:57:21 GMT

The meeting was held remotely and focused on:

Exchange of views on the latest developments in the EU-Turkey relations with:

Mr Bernard BRUNET, Head of Unit, Turkey, DG NEAR;
Mr Thomas FRELLESEN, Head of Unit, Turkey, EEA;
Mr Nacho Sanchez AMOR - EP Rapporteur on Turkey

State of play on Cyprus issue, with the participation of:

- Ms Judit ROZSA, Director, Coordination, Resources and Aid Programme, DG REFORM;
- Ms Amanda PAUL, Senior Policy Analyst, European Policy Center.

Meeting documents
Minutes

General documents - Statement of the Chair and Rapporteur on the decision to start infringement proceedings against Turkey at the Council of Europe - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 09:13:05 GMT

Parliament's Standing Rapporteur for Turkey Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, Spain) and the Chair of Parliament's delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, Germany) issued the following statement in reaction to the Committee of Ministers' decision to implement Article 46, paragraph 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights. This would start infringement proceedings against Turkey due to its refusal to abide by the judgment in the case of Osman Kavala.

"The Committee of Ministers' decision today to start infringement proceedings against Turkey is a logical consequence of Turkey's refusal to release Osman Kavala in accordance with the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

We truly regret that this process is necessary. The decision could have been prevented if Turkey - a founding member of the Council of Europe - had met its responsibility and complied with its international commitments. As regrettable as these developments are, they are the sole responsibility of the Turkish authorities.

This case epitomises the critical state of fundamental freedoms and rule of law in Turkey. It is neither in the EU's nor in Turkey's interests to see the infringement procedure ultimately result in sanctions against Turkey. This would also have a negative impact on EU-Turkey relations.

It is now up to the Turkish courts and authorities to rise to the occasion and show political will by adhering to international commitments, democracy and rule of law. This is the only way forward to allow EU-Turkey cooperation to deepen, including the renewal of the customs union. Human rights and rule of law are conditions for such cooperation."

Press release
Twitter

General documents - Statement by the Chair and Rapporteur on Turkey expelling ambassadors, 25 October 2021 - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 15:53:23 GMT

Parliament Standing Rapporteur for Turkey Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, ES) and the Chair of the EU-Turkey Parliamentary Delegation Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, DE) issued the following statement in reaction to President Erdoğan's instruction to the foreign minister to declare ten ambassadors persona non grata over their statement on the ongoing case of businessman Osman Kavala.

"The measures announced by President Erdoğan against 10 ambassadors over their statement on the ongoing persecution of businessman Osman Kavala are incomprehensible and completely baseless. We can only understand them as an attempt to divert attention from the real urgent issues, domestic and bilateral. It is not these Ambassadors or their governments who decided it is Turkey's responsibility to release Osman Kavala. It is the European Court of Human Rights that ordered his immediate release in December 2019, reiterated afterwards by six decisions and an interim resolution by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Turkey is therefore obliged to respect this Court's decision, just as it is under the obligation to follow a similar ruling on Selahattin Demirtaş.

Rule of law and fair trial guarantees are foundational pillars of any democracy. As repeatedly underlined by reports of the European Commission and the Council of Europe, and stressed in the Annual Report of the European Parliament, Turkey has a serious deficit in these fields that needs urgent correction. Those problems are addressed by comprehensive reforms, not by sanctions against those who merely demand what the European Court of Human Rights had clearly stated. It is unacceptable that attacks on critical voices and interference with the judiciary have continuously been happening in Turkey. It is more than unfortunate that now an attempt has been made to silence the criticism from abroad. Our position on Osman Kavala's case and criticism of other democracy deficits in Turkey will remain undeterred despite this sad development.

We are on the verge of a serious diplomatic crisis that can still be averted. We call on Turkish authorities to refrain from steps that could result in an even worse scenario in our relations than the difficult period we have been living through during the recent years, a crisis that we just were hoping to overcome. Once again, we call on Turkey to comply with its international commitments and abide by the ECtHR rulings with regard, among others, to the cases of Osman Kavala and Selahattin Demirtaş.

We urge the European Union to coordinate a joint reaction and while still possible encourage Turkish counterparts to de-escalate."

Press release

General documents - Calendar of activities 2021 - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 16:39:16 GMT

Ordinary meetings

25 October 2021, 17:00-18:45, semi-remote
15 April 2021, 14:00-15:45, remote

Joint Parliamentary Committee meetings

79th EU-Turkey JPC meeting (date and venue tbc)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the President of the European Parliament and its political leaders have modified Parliament's calendar of activities. The aim is to enable Parliament to exercise its functions and carry out its parliamentary work, while complying with the duty of care for its Members and staff and protecting public health.

While missions of Parliament's delegations are currently suspended, interparliamentary and other meetings of standing delegations and parliamentary assemblies are being organised with the possibility of remote participation by Members, visiting speakers and staff.

The calendar section of this page is updated when possible and provides more details of upcoming meetings.

General documents - 2021 resolution on constant attacks and pressure on Turkish opposition parties - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 08:51:26 GMT

In a resolution adopted on 8 July 2021 by 603 votes in favor, 2 against and 67 abstentions, MEPs strongly condemn the indictment refiled by Turkey's Chief Public Prosecutor at the Constitutional Court seeking the dissolution of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the third largest political party in the Turkish Parliament, and a political ban on nearly 500 HDP members. MEPs also condemn the decision made by Turkish authorities to remove democratically elected mayors from office on the basis of questionable evidence and replace them with unelected trustees.

Furthermore, the EP states that progress on any positive agenda that could be offered to Turkey should be dependent on improvements in the civil and human rights and rule of law situation in the country, including women's rights, religious freedom, and the rights of ethnic minorities and the LGBTI community.

Resolution of 8 July 2021 (EN)

General documents - 2021 resolution on the 2019-2020 Commission reports on Turkey - Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Thu, 20 May 2021 13:15:42 GMT

The report adopted by 480 votes in favor, 64 against and 150 abstentions states that in recent years the government of Turkey has distanced itself from EU values and standards. Relations have reached a historic low point, and the state of rule of law and respect for fundamental rights are of particular concern. MEPs insist that if Turkey does not reverse this current negative trend, the Commission should recommend that the accession negotiations be formally suspended.

EP calls on Turkey's relevant authorities to release all imprisoned human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, academics and others who have been detained by the government on unsubstantiated charges.

Reaffirming that Turkey is a key partner for stability in the wider region, the report commends Turkey's important role as host to almost 4 million refugees. It encourages the EU to continue supporting Syrian refugees, host communities and the Turkish civil society organizations.

Resolution of 19 May 2021 (EN)