Asselborn Chairs Turkey EU Accession Talks on Economic and Monetary Policy

On Monday 14 December 2015, Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, presided over the 11th Intergovernmental Conference held at ministerial level between the EU and Turkey in Brussels.

In the presence of Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, the Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, and the Minister for European Affairs and Chief Negotiator, Volkan Bozkir, the Intergovernmental Conference organised between the EU and Turkey enabled the opening of Chapter 17 of the accession negotiations (economic and monetary policy), bringing the number of chapters opened to 15 since the beginning of accession negotiations in October 2005.

"I am particularly pleased to announce on behalf of the Luxembourg Presidency that we have just opened today the first chapter of Turkey's accession negotiations to the European Union for two years," said Minister Asselborn who stressed that Luxembourg, as a founding member and strong advocate of the benefits of the enlargement process for the EU, can only welcome the revitalisation of the accession process, endorsed by the EU-Turkey Summit of 29 November.

Jean Asselborn said "Luxembourg has supported the path of Turkey towards membership of the European Union since the beginning," explaining that it was the Luxembourg European Council in 1997 which confirmed the eligibility of Turkey to European Union and set out a strategy to prepare Turkey for accession by bringing it closer to the European Union in all fields.

Minister Asselborn also welcomed the intensification of the political dialogue at all levels with Turkey, stating "the Union needs the strategic partner that is Turkey, on many international issues - whether migration, the fight against terrorism, energy security, economy, trade, or climate."

Photo (L-R): Mr Volkan BOZKIR, Turkish Minister for EU Affairs; Mr Jean ASSELBORN, Luxembourg Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Minister for Immigration and asylum; Mr Mevlüt CAVUSOGLU, Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs.