The European Parliament has debated during its Plenary session held in Strasbourg on 9 March about the situation of the accession negotiations with Turkey. MEPs regret that this process is progressing so slowly mainly due to the limited improvements made by Turkey in the defence of human rights and the implementation of reforms.

In its resolution on Turkey approved in Plenary session on 9 March, the European Parliament believes that the key reasons for slowing down Turkey's EU accession talks on the Cyprus-Turkey negotiations deadlock, the lack of dialogue among Turkish political parties and the undermining of press freedom among others rights. Despite recent constitutional reforms have been welcomed by MEPs, they believe that a global change is urgently needed in the country's constitution in order to ensure the rights and freedoms.

In fact, the European Parliament is particularly concerned about the decline in the protection of various rights, and calls for the implementation of measures in order to guarantee those rights. MEPs specifically refer to deterioration of press freedom, including self-censorship of national media and internet sites. They also maintain their concern about the repect to legal certainty and guarantees and the persistence of some measures such as maintaining a jail custody period of up to ten which is still in force in Turkey.

The Parliament also request Turkey to promote equality and recognize the plurality of the Turkish people, and to actively fight against the increase in honour offences and forced marriages. MEPs highlight particularly the need to implement effective measures to combat discrimination against women, punishing consistently and appropriately the violence against women. They also demand that Turkish army to stop classifying homosexuality as a "psycho" disease.

In their resolution, MEPs also welcomed the recent finalisation of negotiations on a readmission agreement to handle migration. Once this enters into force, the Commission should initiate a visa dialogue, with particular attention to the matter of entry conditions for business people and students.

Furthermore, although the Parliament acknowledges the efforts made by Turkey and Greece to improve their bilateral relations, it regrets that Ankara has not yet withdrawn the threat of casus belli declared on the Hellenic country. It calls on the Turkish government to provide specific measures to achieve a solution to the Cyprus issue, beginning with the immediate withdrawal of its military forces from the island.