The EU's asylum harmonization process and Turkey's efforts for integration

Abstract

Leaving aside two world wars and ethnic clashes, the last century has witnessed millions of human displacements in every corner of the world. While every nation has adopted different attitudes to these displaced groups, the majority of countries have chosen to close the "doors". As a regional formation, the EU has chosen to restrict the entrance of asylees, from Schengen to Amsterdam. In this process Turkey has been directly affected by Europe's common immigration and asylum policy efforts as a result of its closeness to the region. As a sending, receiving and transit country, Turkey has been affected by these policies in a multi-dimensional way. In this paper, the EU's harmonisation policy on asylum and immigration issues and its reflections on Turkey will be observed.