Turkey-European Union Relations in the Context of Identity Debate

Abstract

The enlargement of the European Union (EU) to Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs), in 2004, marked the importance of both multiculturalism and identity in the European integration process. In other words, the EU has accepted European countries of different cultures, which however adopted the European values and norms entirely. In this sense, the EU has decided to accept European countries as full members, which meet the minimum accession criteria without considering their different cultural orientations. This approach is the reflection of the “unity in diversity” idea.