Turkey is the first country with a Moslem majority to have requested EU membership. Let’s retrace the fundamental stages in this process. 1964: the European Economic Community gives the go-ahead to the accord of association that enters into force on 1st December of the same year. 18 September 1980: Turkey and the European Community resume relations after the military coup d’état of 12 September 1980. 14 April 1987: Turkey presents its membership application to Brussels. 5 June 1999: the EU does not consider the promised democratization of the government sufficient for Turkey’s candidature. 13 October 1999: the EU Commission recommends Turkey as an official candidate for EU enlargement. 10 December 1999: Turkey obtains from the EU the status of pre-candidate country. 3 August 2002: the Turkish Parliament abolishes the death penalty and recognizes the cultural rights of the Kurd minority. 25 October 2002: the European Council in Brussels defers a decision on the official date for the beginning of membership negotiations. However the leaders of the Fifteen ”invite the European Council to formulate the criteria for a decision to be taken on the next phase of Turkey’s candidature at its summit in Copenhagen in December”.
