All conditions available for EU-Turkey visa-free regime

The EU and Turkey have all the conditions for the visa-free regime, Jose Manuel Barroso, the former head of the European Commission, said, Turkish Yeni Safak newspaper wrote Feb. 5.

He said that the EU-Turkey negotiations on the visa regime abolishment are the significant achievement between the sides.

Barroso said that he always made efforts to achieve the abolition of the visa regime between the EU and Turkey.

Earlier, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said that the EU may introduce a visa-free regime with Turkey in the autumn of 2016, assuming Ankara implements all the necessary requirements.

Earlier, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that full membership in the EU continues to remain a priority for Turkey.

The Association Agreement between the EU and Turkey was signed in 1963. Ankara filed application for the EU membership in 1987. The negotiations on Ankara’s joining the EU started only in 2005.

Although Turkey annually conducts a series of reforms for the EU membership, Ankara still cannot become a full member of the European Union.

/By Trend/