European Union Accession, Turkey and Organized Crime

The European Union (EU) has required accession states to adopt its acquis communitaire in internal security. Turkey has presented an important case because it has been seen both as a source of threat to the EU, in terms of the spread of organized crime and illegal drugs, and as a problematical candidate for accession. This article looks at the impact of the EU's accession process upon the internal security policies of Turkey, from its application for membership in 1987 to the present. It argues that the EU has exerted a substantial influence on Turkish policy, especially during the period when the prospect of accession was strongest. In spite of the paralysis in its accession negotiations, Turkey remains aligned with EU internal security policy because it has come to internalize the EU's security standards and share its fears of the domestic threats associated with organized crime and drug trafficking.