VISIT TO BRUSSELS

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış, Minister for Labour and Social Security Faruk Çelik and social partners met with the Commissioners of the European Commission in Brussels regarding the Chapter 19- Social Policy and Employment.

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış, Minister for Labour and Social Security Faruk Çelik and social partners held a meeting in Brussels with the European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle and European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion László Andor related to the accession negotiation Chapter 19- Social Policy and Employment and issued a joint declaration.

The joint declaration, which was also conveyed to the Commissioners Štefan Füle and László Andor, was signed by the Ministers, president of TÜRK-İŞ Mustafa Kumlu, president of TİSK Tuğrul Kutadgobilik, president of HAK-İş Mahmut Arslan and president of TOBB Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu.

It was stated in the joint declaration that opening Chapter 19- Social Policy and Employment for accession negotiations will provide momentum to the development and strengthening of labour relations in Turkey. Signatories of the joint declaration strongly support the opening of this Chapter for accession negotiations, as substantial legislative changes have taken place in Turkey in 2012 in the realm of labour relations.

Within the framework of his official visit to Brussels, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış delivered a speech themed “A New Chapter in Turkey’s Struggle with Terrorism – Implications for the EU Accession Process” at European Policy Center (EPC). In his speech Minister Bağış stated that they were expecting Europe’s support to struggle with terrorism.

Bagis also met with the European Commissioner Johannes Hahn who is in charge of EU regional policy, in order to discuss the recent developments regarding the Chapter 22- Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments.

Source: Ministry for EU Affairs