ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the European Union’s (EU) impact on bilateral relations at the state and societal levels and its role as a catalyst for Turkish–Greek rapprochement. The EU has contributed to Turkish–Greek relations in two ways. The first is the EU support extended to civil society initiatives and its societal impact for an enduring Turkish–Greek rapprochement. The second is the transformative effect of the EU, which became concrete after Turkey’s accession process, and the possible contributions the EU might make to peaceful negotiations to solve Turkish–Greek issues. The chapter also discusses the concept of Europeanization and how different international relations theories approach this concept. The Europeanization processes of both Greece and Turkey will be touched upon from both historical and theoretical perspectives. Europeanization is a process of structural change that involves topics such as history, culture, politics, society, and the economy, and which affects various actors, institutions, ideas, and interests.
