President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighted the necessity of enhancing communication for Türkiye's EU accession, in a phone call with Charles Michel, the President of the European Council.
Michel called Erdoğan on Wednesday to congratulate him on his re-election victory, the Presidential Communications Directorate said.
Both leaders discussed a number of issues, including regional developments and Türkiye's EU accession and Erdoğan noted that it was necessary to boost contacts at all levels, with a positive and concrete agenda.
Erdoğan also told Michel that fair treatment and support for Türkiye's full EU membership would open new horizons in Ankara's ties with Brussels.
Updating the customs union, visa liberalization, migration management and counterterrorism efforts were also discussed in the phone call, the Communications Directorate said.
Türkiye has the longest history with the union and the most extended negotiation process. The country signed an association agreement with the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1964, usually regarded as a first step to eventually becoming a candidate. However, applying for official candidacy in 1987, Türkiye had to wait until 1999 to be granted the status of a candidate country. For the start of the negotiations, however, Türkiye had to wait for another six years, until 2005, a uniquely long process compared with other candidates.
The accession process seems stalled in recent years, particularly due to several disputes, including tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean with Greece, Türkiye’s role in Syria and the migrant crisis.
Apart from further cooperation on migration and updating the March 18 statement, Ankara expects the modernization of the 1995 EU-Turkey Customs Union and greater emphasis on Türkiye's candidacy to become an EU member.
Turkish officials frequently call on the EU to lift political obstacles to membership.
