ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the extent and limitations of Europeanisation and of other pressures, both external and domestic, in Turkey's asylum and immigration policies. In the area of asylum, Turkey's adherence to the geographical limitation of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention is also a serious stumbling block. The chapter examines the EU conditions and Turkey's progress in fulfilling them and highlights four important stumbling blocks between Turkey and the EU. Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) has been one of the EU's fastest growing policy areas in recent years. However, Turkish adoption of the JHA acquis has been relatively slow when compared with that of the Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs), including Poland. After an energetic period of reform under the first Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi (AKP) government, the decision was taken at the December 2004 Brussels Council to open accession negotiations with Turkey the following year. Prior to Turkey's EU candidacy the Turkish visa system was generally liberal in nature.
