ICIS: Turkey-EU energy chapter will not bring benefits - minister

Opening up the EU’s Energy Chapter for Turkey, a move that would help to fast-track the liberalisation of its electricity and gas markets and harmonise its laws with those of the EU would not bring benefits to the country, the Turkish energy minister Taner Yildiz told ICIS on Thursday.

Negotiations on the chapter, which are part of the EU’s accession procedure, had been put on hold following a unilateral blockage of six chapters by southern Cyprus in 2009. The veto came in response to Ankara’s refusal to allow Greek Cypriot ships and aircraft to use Turkish ports and airports.

However, Turkish private companies have re-ignited discussions about the opening of the chapter, as interest in speeding up liberalisation reforms in the energy sector and the sourcing of natural gas from Cyprus and Israel is growing.

In an interview organised by the EU Delegation in Turkey, Yildiz said Turkey saw itself as part of the EU, but extensive delays caused by Brussels in sending out positive signals had left Turkey to pursue its own reforms in the energy sector.
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