The Impact of the European Union Accession Process on Turkish Civil Society and the Role of Civil Society in the European Union Accession Process Research Report

The research conducted with 50 CSOs provides information on CSO representatives' attitudes towards Turkey-EU relations, the impact of the accession process on civil society, their knowledge and views on EU financial support, and their thoughts on the role of CSOs in the accession process.

Nearly 30% of respondents to the survey say that the most positive aspects of bilateral relations between Turkey and the EU are the democratic and legal arrangements and the development of human rights. The most negative aspects, in their opinion, are the inability to develop dialogue and the blocking of the negotiation process.

When it comes to the impact of the participation process on civil society, about 40% of CSO representatives say that financial support is the most important contribution. The two strongest views after financial support are the ideas that the participation process increases the influence and capacity of civil society. CSO representatives believe that the scenario of the removal of the accession process will have a significant impact on Turkish civil society. The most expected impacts are the CSOs' search for new sources of funding, the negative impact on the activities of the right-oriented CSOs, and the shrinking of the civil space.