Finnish commissioner wants tough conditions for Turkey in EU talks
Olli Rehn grilled by European Parliament committee
Olli Rehn
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European Commissioner Olli Rehn says that Turkey should meet tough conditions if European Union member states decide to initiate negotiations with the country on its possible membership in the EU.
At his commissioner-designate hearing before the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament on Monday, Rehn said that the EU needs to have a powerful follow-up mechanism for Turkey, if membership talks with the country are initiated.
He also said that old member states would need to be protected from a flood of Turkish labour.
Rehn is now finishing the remainder of the term of Erkki Liikanen, whom he replaced as Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society when Liikanen became the Governor of the Bank of Finland.
Rehn has been designated the next Commissioner for Enlargement, and most of his hearing on Monday focused on the question of possible Turkish membership.
Olli Rehn’s answers were in anticipation of a Commission report, which is scheduled to be come out on Wednesday, concerning whether or not membership talks can be started with Turkey.
According to information that has filtered out of the Commission, the recommendation to the present member states will be to start the membership talks. However, the talks can be put on hold if a monitoring group feels that Turkey is dragging its feet on reform.
The Commission's views sparked angry reactions in Ankara. According to Reuters, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül reiterated the view that the rules must be the same for all EU applicant countries.
Rehn also had some praise for Turkey, noting that already in 1963 the country was seen to be a part of Europe. He also defended Turkish membership when Finnish MEP Ville Itälä (Cons.), who opposes taking Turkey into the EU, asked if there is nobody in the EU who can ultimately say "No" to Turkey.
"If negotiations begin, and if Turkey finally meets all of the criteria, then we are committed to membership", Rehn said.
Rehn also tried to assuage concerns about the expected costs of Turkish EU membership.
He noted that always when there is enlargement, there is plenty of "drama and exaggeration" about the costs brought on by new members.
At the beginning of the hearing, Rehn appeared somewhat stiff at first, but relaxed during the three hours.
During the hearing he spoke English and French, as well as Finnish, his "Finno-Ugric mother tongue, in honour of the EU membership of Estonia and Hungary."
The European Parliament will hold a confidence vote on the new European Commission in Strasbourg in late October.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 5.10.2004 - TODAY |
 Finnish commissioner wants tough conditions for Turkey in EU talks |
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