1 September 2004
Prominent Europeans to Publish Independent Report on Turkish Accession to the EU

An independent group of former heads of state, foreign ministers and European Commissioners will unveil a report on 6 September on whether the European Union should open accession negotiations with the Turkey.

The Independent Commission on Turkey was established in March 2004 to help shape the debate over TurkeyХs possible EU membership. That debate has become increasingly emotional ahead of the European Council decision expected in December 2004.

"With this report, we hope to contribute to a more objective and rational debate on TurkeyХs accession to the EU, rightly considered one of the major challenges for Europe in the coming years," ,У said Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland and Chair of the Independent Commission.

In preparing the report, the nine Commissioners held intensive discussions and met with high-level political, NGO and civil society representatives in Turkey. The report does not cover matters currently under review by the European Commission as part of its Progress Report for October 2004.

Notes for editors:

• The Independent Commission on Turkey will present its report at the European Policy Centre, Residence Palace, Brussels, on Monday 6 September at 11 am. Journalists will receive details of the Commission's conclusions on 6 September. The report will also be published at www.independentcommissiononturkey.org.

• Members of the Commission will subsequently present the report in other European cities as follows:

7 September: Berlin, Deutsch Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik
8 September: The Hague, Clingendael Institute
9 September: London, Royal United Services Institute for Defence & Security Studies
13 September: Barcelona, CIDOB Foundation, European Institute of Mediterranean Affairs
16 September: Vienna, Österreichische Gesellschaft für Europapolitik
Date to be confirmed: Paris, IFRI, French Institute for International Relations
27-28 October: Rome (venue to be confirmed)

• The Independent Commission members are: Martti Ahtisaari; Kurt Biedenkopf; Emma Bonino; Hans van den Broek; Bronislaw Geremek; Anthony Giddens; Marcelino Oreja Aguirre; Michel Rocard and Albert Rohan. The Commission is supported by the British Council and the Open Society Institute.

For more information, contact Julia Smith, Press Officer, British Council Brussels (julia.smith@britishcouncil.be), t: +32 (0)2 227 08 46, mobile: +32 (0)485 25 24 31.