§ Mr. HowardTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives are being pursued to improve relations between Turkey and the EU. [34575]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonThe Luxembourg European Council in December 1997 agreed to draw up a European Strategy for Turkey, designed to prepare Turkey for accession by bringing it closer to the European Union in every field. This should consist of development of the possibilities afforded by the Ankara Agreement; intensification of the Customs Union; implementation of financial cooperation; approximation of laws and adoption of the Union acquis; and participation, on a case by case basis, in certain EU programmes and agencies.
The Commission tabled its initial proposals for this strategy on 4 March. We will be taking these forward as Presidency of the EU.