Mittagsgespräch (digital): Different Challenges and Changed Realities: EU-Turkey Relations Five Years After The EU-Turkey Statement On Migration
Date:
20th November 2020; 12:00–13:00 (CET)
Online Event via ZOOM
Guest:
Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, Head of EU-Delegation to Turkey, Ankara
Welcoming Remarks:
Jörg Wojahn, Head of the European Commission’s Representation in Germany, Berlin
Moderation:
Funda Tekin, Director, Institut für Europäische Politik, Berlin
With the tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean severely affecting EU-Turkey relations, this relationship has definitely seen better days. At the same time, we have to remind ourselves that periods of severe frictions have also been followed by trends of cooperation and convergence. Five years ago, on 29 November 2015, the EU and Turkey agreed on a joint statement on migration that, in addition to finding a solution for how to handle the massive refugee flows at the time, outlined various pathways for cooperation with the aim to revitalize the relationship. Realities have changed since then – both in Turkey as well as the EU – and challenges have increased. It is time to take stock of the evolution of EU-Turkey relations throughout the past years in order to assess the effects of the EU-Turkey statement and possible lessons learnt. Furthermore, it may be discussed what this might imply for the positive political agenda that the Heads of State or Government of EU member states agreed to promise Turkey, provided it would stop its illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Building on the research and activities of the Jean Monnet Network “VIADUCT — Enhancing VIsibility of the Academic DialogUe on EU-Turkey CooperaTion”, we are convinced that building bridges over troubled waters is essential.
We are delighted to welcome Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, who has just taken office as the Head of the EU delegation to Turkey in Ankara, for an initial assessment and discussion. Before joining the EU delegation, he had been Ambassador of Germany to France.
We look forward to welcoming you at the digital event.
