By Ozan Serdaroğlu (vol.6, no. 17 of the Turkey Analyst)

Since the signing of Ankara Agreement in 1963, European enlargement towards Turkey has been evolving in a volatile momentum. Although Turkey’s eligibility for full membership has been confirmed by the agreement, the experiences accumulated during the last 50 years demonstrate that the Turkish case amounts to a “failed enlargement”, as the lack of real commitment and clear membership perspective dilutes the process. Even if the full membership continues to be an “officially” shared objective, the Turkish accession is likely to be prolonged during the upcoming years if a new vision is not introduced in light of these experiences.