An Analysis of the Turkey-EU relations on the framework of neofunctionalist theory

328 ABSTRACT The principal question to which we have tried to find an answer in this thesis is whether neofunctionalism as a comprehensive an largely accepted international integration, remains valid in explaining different kinds of integration movements towards a political end. In order to test the neofunctional integration model we have adopted the case study method and Turkey - European Union integration movement has been choosen as the case for this research. Before analyzing the basic problematic explained above, we have primarily focused on the european integration movement as a starting point to better understand the neofunctionalism, since the latter was a theorisation effort of the european integration movement starting with the Schuman Declaration and the establishment of the European Coal and the Steel Community in 1951. Then, we have tried to analyse the historical developments of the Turkey - EU relations and the economic and the political issues stemming from the relationship in the theoritical framework of the neofunctionalism. Thus we have assumed to explain on the one hand the historical developments of the Turkey - EU integration movement and on the other the fragility of neofunctionalism as an international integration theory. Neofunctionalism is an integration theory proposing a model to achieve establishing a political community at the end of the integration process. In this model neofunctionalism creates a linkage between the economic and political integration. For neofunctionalists, especially for the founding father of neofunctionalism, Ernest B. Haas, to reach a political community it is necessary to start with the integration of economic sectors under a supranational organizational framework. Neofunctionalists accept that the integration starting in an economic sector would spread to the other sectors by creating a strong interdependence and wealth. Neofunctionalists call this automatic process "functional spill-over". As a result of this process, economic integration starting329 in a limited sector spreads primarily to other sectors of economy to eventually cover all the spheres of national economies participating in the integration. During the functional spill-over process, the supranational organization created on the principal of the delegation of sovereign authority, gains new aeras in exercising its supranational control. Neofunctionalists anticipate that after the integration of national economies and markets into a single supranational organizational framework, loyalty of the peoples would be directed from the national level to the supranational level. It is in this phase that, for neofunctionalists, the shift from economic integration toward political integration woul start. In conclusion, the neofunctionalists anticipate to reache a federal or confederal State at the end of this integration process. The conclusions drawn from the Turkey - EU integration experience do not fit in the neofunctionalist hypothesis though justified to a large extend in the european integration movement. In order to assure a better understanding we have analysed the Turkey - EU integration two phases. The first phase commences with the establishment of the association relationship between Turkey and the European Economic Community and goes until the the beginning of the eigthies. This phase coincides with the "Cold War" years. During the Cold War, Turkey had a big strategic importance in the eyes of the western powers perceiving a Soviet threat. Turkey, in this phase, in spite of its economic weakness, could find the opportunity to create and develop a strong relationship with the European Community, thanks to its strategic importance explained above. The second phase of the Turkey - EU relations is marked by the economic structural adjustment policies pursued by Turkey and by the ending of the Cold War with the disintegration of the Soviet Union. These two events occured espacially in the second half of the eithies and changed dramatically the political and economic situation of the Turkey - EU integration movement. First of all, the strategic importance attributed to the Turkey during the Cold War dissappeared with the end of Cold War and the disintegration of the Soviet330 Union. Moreover, the central and eastern european states searching for a possibility to accede to the European Union have risen above Turkey in the strategic importance list of the European Union. Turkey, following structural adjustment policies, has transformed its economic structure and created to a large extent an open and competitive national economy eager to integrate with the world markets. Tnaks to Turkey's economic transformation efforts, there has been an unprecedented improvement in Turkey - EU integration which has made customs union possible. Neverthless, the political integration between Turkey and the European Union developing well during the first phase, stopped in the second phase because of the declining strategic importance of the Turkey in the Post-Cold War era. The dynamics of the Turkey -EU integration movement differing in the two phases of the relations do not fit with the neofunctionalist hypothesis. While in the first phase political dynamics have been conducting the relationship despite the lack of the economic aspect, in the second phase economic dynamics have become dominant. Moreover, the importance of political integration between Turkey and the European Union has decreased dramatically in the Post Cold War era. The controversy between the neofunctional theory and Turkey-EU integration stems from the absence of cultural and peripherical dynamics in the analytical framework of neofunctionalism which involves only the internal dynamics with a mechanical manner. In a integration movement aiming to reach a political community, questions pertaining to cultural and identity are of utmost importance. Furthermore the international environement in which the integration is being shaped plays |^great role. Especially the Turkey - EU case demonstrates the significance of these two aspects lacking in the neofunctionalist theory. To conclude we may assert that neofunctionalism is not a complete theory bearing the capability to explain the political integration phenomenon.