This report covers the key proceedings of the fourth in a series of annual conferences organised by the EU-Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC), which took place at the European Parliament in Brussels from 3 to 4 December 2007. The event was hosted by the founders of the EUTCC, namely the Bar Human Rights Committee, the Kurdish Human Rights Project, medico international and the Thorolf Rafto Foundation for Human Rights, and was supported by members of the European Parliament. Topics addressed in the course of the conference included the progress of democratisation and legislative reform in Turkey, and the prospects for dialogue and conflict-resolution. The report includes the full texts of the speeches and final resolutions, as well as a background paper distributed at the conference.

The EUTCC was established in November 2004 as the outcome of the first international Conference on ‘The EU, Turkey and the Kurds’ held in the European Parliament in Brussels on 22-23 November 2004. The EUTCC aims to both promote and provide suggestions for Turkey’s bid for EU accession, and to help guarantee respect for human and minority rights and a peaceful, democratic and long-term solution to the Kurdish situation. The EUTCC monitors and conducts regular audits of Turkey’s compliance with the accession criteria, as defined in the accession agreements. It also makes recommendations, acts as a point of contact, and exchanges information, with the institutions of the EU and other governmental and non-governmental organisations.