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EU CandidatesTürkiye
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Türkiye

The day you become an EU citizen

When the accession treaty takes effect, every citizen becomes an EU citizen automatically. No application, no queue. That day is not set yet. This page tracks how close it is, using primary sources.

Data verified as of 15 Jun 2026

The 10 steps to membership

A date forecast isn't modeled for this country yet. See the verified tracker below for where things stand.

Just achieved · 3 Oct 2005

Accession negotiations open

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The 10 steps to membership

Currently on step 6 — negotiating the EU's rulebook, cluster by cluster. Open any step for the detail and its source.

  1. Application

    Done
    14 Apr 1987

  2. Candidate status

    Done
    11 Dec 1999

    The Helsinki European Council recognised Türkiye as a candidate state.

    Primary sourceEuropean Commission (DG NEAR)View source

  3. Council agrees to open negotiations

    Done
    17 Dec 2004

  4. Negotiating framework + first Intergovernmental Conference

    Done
    3 Oct 2005

    Accession negotiations with Türkiye formally opened.

    Primary sourceEuropean Commission (DG NEAR)View source

  5. Screening of the acquis

    Done
    13 Oct 2006

  1. Cluster-by-cluster negotiations

    In progress
    3 Oct 2005

    Negotiations are at a standstill. Under the old chapter-by-chapter methodology, 16 of 35 chapters were opened and 1 provisionally closed; the last opened in 2016. In June 2018 the Council declared negotiations had "effectively come to a standstill" — no chapter has opened or closed since, citing rule-of-law and fundamental-rights backsliding.

    Primary sourceEuropean Commission (DG NEAR)View source

  2. All chapters provisionally closed

    Not started

  3. Accession Treaty signed

    Not started

  4. Ratification by all 27 + European Parliament + candidate

    Not started

  5. Entry into force → membership

    Not started

The 6 clusters

Negotiations →

When will membership actually come?

The forecast separates finishing the negotiations from actually joining — the two are not the same date.

See the forecast →