Describe the criteria for membership in the European Union. Given the criteria, what are some of the major challenges with expanding the EU eastward? What are the potential problems of Turkey joining the EU?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The criteria for membership include that the nation must be a stable, functioning democracy, have a market-based economy, and formally adopt the EU-wide rules, called the acquis communautaire. As the EU expands east, the nations have large agricultural sectors, which creates issues for the Common Agricultural Policy. Concerns about migration, given labor mobility are also a problem. How to govern to bigger blocks as well as general practice with governance for nations in transition can be questions. A major issue remains the difference in income between the old EU members and the new members. Turkey is especially difficult because it has a large population relative to other members, its GDP per capita is about 20 percent of the EU average at market rates, and it has issues in terms of whether it represents a "stable democracy," especially in terms of freedom of speech, torture in prisons, and civilian control over the military. Turkey has troubled relations with Cyprus, an EU member that can veto its accession.