About the project
The Jean Monnet Network 'Enhancing Visibility of the Academic Dialogue on EU-Turkey Cooperation' (VIADUCT) brings together 40 partners from 36 countries. In addition to partners from all EU member states, there are project participants from Turkey, Egypt, Georgia, Iceland, Iraq, Israel, Switzerland, and Norway.
Project objectives
VIADUCT’s general objective is to foster policy dialogue and to contribute in the exchange of views among academics and pracitioners on recent developments in both the EU and Turkey. The aim is to improve and to enhance the teaching and research on this topic. VIADUCT’s target groups are academics, students and practitioners, civil society and general public.
VIADUCT identifies four possible scenarios for the future of EU-Turkey relations:
- Managing the fragile status quo – this would imply that the EU and Turkey try to preserve their relationship despite Turkey becoming an increasingly autocratic presidential system, the EU’s pre-occupation with BREXIT negotiations and persisting conflicts in the neighbourhood.
- Extending and upgrading existing forms of cooperation such as the Customs Union and refugee deal – this would be facilitated by increased differentiated integration of the EU in the wake of ‘Brexit’.
- Reactivation of the accession process – although currently a highly unlikely scenario in light of the dissolution of democratic values in Turkey, the unresolved Cyprus conflict and a general stagnation in the EU’s enlargement process, it cannot be neglected in academic discussion.
- Dealing with a difficult or even hostile neighbour – this would imply a conflict scenario, i.e. relations between the EU and Turkey could be driven by growing estrangement which might even preclude any forms of flexible cooperation.
At ARENA, John Erik Fossum contributes to the network's research activities.
Financing
Jean Monnet Network funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union
Project period: 1 September 2017 - 31 August 2020