ANKARA – Turkey’s Trade Minister, Ömer Bolat, announced that the European Union has provided assurances that it will streamline the issuance of Schengen visas.
The visa has been a longstanding concern for Ankara but the minister highlighted that four productive discussions with EU officials have been held since he assumed office in June.
During these negotiations, Ankara conveyed its visa-related concerns at the highest level and received a commitment to initiate the process of visa facilitation, Daily Sabah reported.
The issue of lengthy processing times and increased rejection rates of Turkish visa applications to Schengen countries has been a point of contention, with Ankara viewing it as political maneuvering and a pressure tactic.
Although Turkey’s EU accession process has faced obstacles, economic and defense cooperation with the EU remains significant.
Turkey stands as the sole non-EU nation in a customs union with the bloc, a pact that took effect in 1995, primarily covering industrial goods and processed agricultural items.
There’s been a persistent push from the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, to amend this agreement, yet no considerable progress has been made.
The trade volume between the EU and Turkey has been rising constantly over the years. Turkey was granted the EU candidate status in 1999 but negotiations didn’t begin until 2005, marking a notably protracted process compared to other candidates.
All eyes are now on the forthcoming European Commission enlargement report, anticipated to showcase Turkey’s positive strides in foreign policy, economic ties, and collaboration with the EU.
The political observers are eyeing a mid-December meeting in which EU member state leaders will gather in Brussels to determine the future of relations with Turkey, guided by a roadmap crafted by the commission.
