Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures Turkey has taken towards membership into the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13042/06]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures Croatia has taken towards membership into the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13048/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 124 together.

Accession negotiations were opened with both Croatia and Turkey on 3 October 2005. According to the negotiating frameworks agreed with both countries, the shared objective of the negotiations — an open-ended process whose outcome cannot be guaranteed beforehand — is accession. Both countries will be expected to maintain their commitment to the full implementation of human rights and other reforms and the EU will remain firm in demanding that aspiring members fulfil all the requirements of membership. The Union's capacity to absorb new members will be an important consideration. A well-functioning Union is in the interests of both present and future members.

Both countries will be judged on their own merits and the pace of the negotiations will be determined by progress in fulfilling the requirements of membership. However, as Turkey's accession could have substantial financial consequences, its negotiations can only be concluded after the establishment of the Union's financial framework for the period from 2014.

An extensive screening process is currently under way in which experts from the Commission explain EU rules to the two countries and examine their strategies for adopting and implementing them. It is expected to take until autumn 2006 to complete the screening process for the required 33 chapters. After each chapter has been screened the EU can decide, on the basis of a proposal from the Commission, whether the negotiations in that sector can be opened.

In late November 2005 the Commission presented its first screening reports to the Enlargement Working Group on the science and research and education and culture chapters. Member states have agreed that both countries should be invited to present to the Presidency their negotiating positions for the science and research chapter. Discussions are continuing within the EU on the education and culture chapter.

On 12 December 2005, the General Affairs and External Relations Council, GAERC, welcomed agreement with Croatia and Turkey on the accession partnerships, which are designed to provide support in overcoming problems related to accession. Both Croatia and Turkey benefit from the Department of Foreign Affairs' bilateral assistance programme, which provides support for new member states, acceding and candidate countries in coping with the considerable challenges of EU membership.