Turkey’s future will be substantially shaped by the events in 1999. At the December 1999 Helsinki Summit, the European Union (EU) declared Turkey an official candidate for full membership in the European Union. Turkey’s official candidate status for full membership in the EU is a landmark event for both Europe and Turkey.

Turkey’s long-standing relations with the EU and familiarity with most EU regulation and policy will accelerate the accession process and allow Turkey to achieve full membership more quickly than expected. Turkey’s inclusion in the newly established G-20 group in 1999 indicates its recognition as an important emerging market in the global economy.