Publication

This policy brief discusses the economic challenges of an EU integration of Turkey. It states that Turkey is still very poor, compared to the present EU members, but is also more dynamic. A full catch-up in terms of GDP per capita might take more than a generation, but this is not the relevant criterion if one is concerned about the impact of the accession of Turkey on the EU. The fact that most of the so-called periphery is now growing more strongly than the core areas confirms that within an enlarged EU the poorer member countries are likely to prosper and thus cause fewer problems than widely anticipated.