Accession of Turkey to the European Union

Turkey's National Ministry of Defense announced on July 13 that the paid military service application for next year will start on July 16 till the 31st.

The European Union will put on hold high-level talks with Ankara and negotiations on an air transport agreement, as well as freeze funding for Turkey next year, over "illegal" drilling for gas and oil off Cyprus, according to a draft statement seen by Reuters.

Turkey has the highest number of children in the age group of 0-5 among European countries, with 8 million, according to a recent report published by the European Commission.

Turkey and the European Union will sign an agreement to build a section of the high-speed railway line between the border with Bulgaria and Istanbul.

The latest country report on Turkey confirms that the EU is rapidly distancing itself from the prospect of Turkish membership - which threatens to leave Ankara hostage to Russia.

Turkey does not want to move away from the European Union, but wants to resume accession talks, Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk Kaymakcı said on May 29, criticizing the EU Commission's 2019 country report for Turkey.

The European Union says Turkey continues to distance itself from the bloc and its values and says sees no reason to unblock the country's EU membership talks.
In a progress report on Turkey's membership prospects released Wednesday, the EUs executive commission criticizes "serious backsliding in the areas of the rule of law and fundamental rights."

"Turkey will continue its efforts to join the EU," he said, quoted by NOVA TV. 

"EU efforts to safeguard its values ​​are doomed to failure without the full participation of Turkey," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

A top NATO official on April 12 praised Turkey's hospitality towards refugees and hard work in the Middle East.       

Romania, who holds the EU presidency, envisaged that day as the possible date for an intergovernmental conference, and it is currently assesed that it would be realistic to expect the opening of two new chapters at most.