BRUSSELS, Dec 16 (AFP) - As EU leaders prepare to decide whether Turkey is ready to start talks about joining the EU, herewith key questions and answers in the debate about its membership.
- Wouldn't Turkish membership cost European taxpayers a fortune?
The annual cost by 2025 would be between 16.5 and 27.5 billion euros or between 0.1 and 0.17 of the bloc's gross domestic product, according to a Commission impact study in October.
EU regional development aid could reach 10 billion euros a year, according to European sources, while former EU farm commissioner Franz Fischler warned that Turkey's inclusion could cost 11.3 billion euros a year in farm subsidies.
"The economic impact of Turkey's accession to the EU would be positive but relatively small, both due to the modest size of the Turkish economy and to the degree of economic integration already existing before accession," said the study.
- Would Turkey have too much political clout in the EU?
Turkey would have "an important voice in the decision-making process" in the Council of Ministers because of its large population, according to the Commission impact study.
Turkey currently has nearly 71 million inhabitants but by 2015 is predicted to have a population of 82 million, the current population of Germany, the EU's most populous country.
Population figures are important in the EU's decision-making process because under the future constitution a "double majority" system means that decisions can be taken only if backed 55 percent of states representing 65 percent of the population.
But Guillaume Durand of the European Policy Centre thinktank in Brussels points out that "our union is so big that even the 'big' (countries) are no longer so big."
- Would millions of Turks flood the EU labour market?
Some 2.7 millions Turks could over the long term leave their country to go and live and work elsewhere in the EU if Turkey joins the club, according to a committee led by former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari.
That figure is the equivalent of 0.5 percent of the union's total population.
But many economists say such immigration would be beneficial because of the aging European population.
"Long transition periods and a safeguard clause could be considered to avoid serious disturbances in the EU labour market," says the October EU impact report. "However, the population dynamics of Turkey could offset the ageing of EU societies."
- How can such a vast mostly-Muslim country join the mainly Christian EU?
"The successful inclusion of Turkey in the European integration process would give clear evidence to the Muslim world that their religious beliefs are compatible with EU's values," said the Commission study.
It added that Turkey could be an important model of "a Muslim majority country adhering to such fundamental principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedom and the rule of law."
Supporters of Turkish membership point out that the country has a secular government.
Opponents reply that the European part of Turkey is prosperous and liberal, while the much larger Asian part is traditional and very conservative.
12/16/2004 13:29 GMT - AFP