ANKARA, Dec 2 (AFP) - Instead of being a huge economic burden on the European Union, Turkey will contribute to the bloc's budget if it is allowed to become a full member, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said Thursday.
EU leaders are expected to agree at a December 16-17 summit to open membership talks with Turkey, but with tough conditions and a warning that the negotiations will not guarantee full membership.
The decision will come against a backdrop of concerns in Europe on the financial cost the EU will have to bear in allowing a populous and relatively poor country to become a member.
"Turkey will not burden the EU budget as much as has been exaggerated," Sener told a press conference here to unveil a report on what effects Turkey's membership would have on the Union.
The report drawn up by the State Planning Institute says the Turkish economy is expected to increase the EU's overall gross national product by 0.1 to 0.3 percent.
Turkey's contribution Turkey to the EU's gross domestic product is estimated at 16 billion to 48 billion euros (21.3 billion to 63.9 billion dollars) in 2014 and 21 billion to 63 billion euros in 2020, Sener said.
If it becomes a member, Turkey is expected to contribute about 4.9 billion euros to the EU budget in 2014 and about 8.8 billion euros in 2020, but it will also require agricultural subsidies and structural funds early in its membership, Sener said.
Once Turkey's contributions are deduced, Sener said, Turkey's cost to the EU budget is estimated at 5.9 billion to 7.9 billion euros in 2014 and 6.5 billion to 10 billion euros in 2020.
Sener asserted, however, that Turkey would have a positive impact on the EU economy.
"Extra money will flow into the pockets of EU citizens because Turkey's existence will influence the size of the EU economy and the amount of its national product," he said.
According to projections, Turkey's population, nearly 70 million according to the 2000 census, will reach 85 million in 2020 and 97 million in 2050 before it starts to decraese.
But the proportion of the labour force to will remain above 60 percent until 2070, with the literacy rate and the number of university graduates increasing.
"A literate and qualified Turkish population will make a positive impact on the EU," Sener said.
Sener's remarks aimed to allay European fears that they will be swamped by Turkish laborers if they allow Ankara in.
A first draft of conclusions to be reached at the December summit says the EU could impose a permenant ban on Turkish workers travelling to member countries.
12/02/2004 13:38 GMT - AFP