ABSTRACT
Perhaps the defining moment in European Union (EU)–Turkey relations of the twentieth century was the decision to grant official candidate status to Turkey in December 1999. Between 1999 and 2004, Turkey introduced reforms to meet the Copenhagen criteria mainly concerning the rule of law and human rights. As a result of the December 2004 European Council, accession talks were opened with Turkey on 3 October 2005 for negotiations over the 35 chapters representing the acquis communautaire. As of April 2010, the only chapter that has been provisionally closed is on science and research, and there are eleven chapters remaining open while negotiations on another eight are currently suspended.
