Assessing the Potential of EU Agencies for the Future of EU-Turkey Relations, Part II: A Systematic Mapping of Cooperation Between EU Agencies and Turkey (1999-2021)

Executive Summary 

Mercator-IPC Researcher Michael Kaeding's policy note titled "Assessing the Potential of EU Agencies for the Future of EU-Turkey Relations, Part II: A Systematic Mapping of Cooperation Between EU Agencies and Turkey (1999-2021)" was published in October 2021. To showcase the dynamics and potential of EU agencies for EU-Turkey relations, this contribution focuses on Turkey’s role across EU agencies, mapping its bilateral and ad hoc working arrangements with them (1999–2021). This year, Turkey has engaged with 18 out of 34 decentralized EU agencies. Turkey’s involvement in EU agencies is manifold, covers various policy areas, and has proven itself for more than 20 years. For the future of EU-Turkey relations, EU agencies seem to offer a valuable “participatory form of external differentiation” worth pursuing for both the EU and Turkey.

Introduction 

The future of Europe is one of external differentiated integration,1 in which non-member states of the EU participate in shaping future policies. To showcase the dynamic and potential nature of EU agencies for Turkey, we map Turkey’s different types of engagement between 1999 and 2021. This analysis builds upon a systematic study of information drawn from the relevant official documents provided by EU agencies and the European Commission, founding acts, and reports. Reporting all bilateral and ad hoc working arrangements between EU agencies and Turkey over time, we show that Turkey’s involvement in EU agencies is manifold, covers various policy areas, and has proven itself for more than 20 years. To conclude, we discuss the implications for the future of EUTurkey relations.