The EPC's work on Turkey focuses on developments in Turkish foreign, security and economic policy, their impact on the country, the surrounding region, and Turkey’s Euro-Atlantic partners, in particular the EU.
Through a series of meetings and publications, attention is paid to areas such as the EU-Turkey Migration Deal, the Kurdish Issue, civil liberties and freedoms, the future of the Turkey-EU Customs Union, the war in Syria, Black Sea security, etc. It highlights the strategic potential of Turkey in both economic and political terms, Turkey’s increasingly dynamic and proactive foreign policy and its developments as an energy and transport hub. At the same time, it focuses on the considerable challenges that still lie ahead if Turkey is to achieve such potential. It also looks into domestic Turkish politics, including the transformations under way in the country.
Through its continuous tracking of Turkish domestic politics, foreign policy, and economy, the EPC's work on Turkey makes a significant contribution to the Brussels/EU policy debate on this vital country. The list of distinguished Turkish visitors to the EPC over the past decade includes current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, Former Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, Leader of the main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP), as well as numerous member of the Turkish parliament from all parties represented, academics, analysists, columnists, journalists and representatives of civil soceity.