Differentiated integration: An alternative conceptualization of EU-Turkey relations

Abstract

This chapter introduces the concept of differentiated integration and discusses its explanatory value in view of the EU-Turkey relationship. The major aim is to elaborate whether variable geometries as a form of differentiation constituting different and sometimes even overlapping forms of association and integration with different member and non-member states can provide a soft-landing from the fallout of Turkey's EU accession process. The chapter sets out the many faces of differentiation and examines how the conceptual approach is perceived in the European and Turkish debates. The analysis also provides a concise overview on how differentiated integration is embedded in the logics of the main European integration theories. This conceptual discussion is complemented by a detailed outline of the variable geometries that already exist in EU-Turkey relations resulting from the three distinct forms of bilateral dialogue: accession process, functional cooperation, and cooperation in international organizations. The chapter concludes by linking the empirical findings back to the conceptual analysis, thereby discussing the limits of the explanatory value of the concept as well as highlighting the modernization of the Customs Union as a potential starting point for a differentiated future of EU-Turkey relations.