EU Accession Talks With Türkiye to Continue Under German Presidency, Verheugen Says

European Commission Vice President Günter Verheugen said Türkiye's EU membership negotiations will press forward after Germany assumes the rotating presidency of the bloc on 1 January, dismissing concerns that the transition would slow the process.

Speaking on German television network NDR, Verheugen pointed to Chancellor Angela Merkel's own assurances that Germany intends to honor its existing commitments. He noted that the talks were already understood to be a lengthy undertaking.

Verheugen added that the pace of negotiations ultimately rests with Türkiye itself. He also pushed back against fears surrounding EU expansion, arguing that enlargement has consistently benefited Germany.

Looking ahead, Verheugen identified energy policy, constitutional reform, and cutting bureaucracy as the central issues on the agenda, and said responsibility for advancing those reforms extends across the entire European Union, not Germany alone.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in December 2006, in its own words.