Asking the right questions? Addressing corruption and EU accession

Abstract

PurposeTurkey is currently a candidate for accession to the European Union (EU), and one of the pre‐conditions is to address corruption. Turkey is also a member of the Council of Europe and subject to the GRECO peer‐review process on corruption. Various quantitative and quantitative surveys rank Turkey as having a continuing corruption problem, while the 2006 GRECO report warned of a lack of progress and proposed major institutional and other reforms. Turkey's political and administrative development, however, may require the EU to understand that addressing corruption in such a context may require different answers from those normally elicited to the usual questions about what is to be done.Design/methodology/approachThe paper synthesizes publicly available information on Turkey's readiness to join the EU, on the basis of its capacity to address corruption.FindingsTurkey's political and administrative development may require the EU to understand that addressing corruption in such a context may require novel answers.Originality/valueThe paper provides a new analysis of the situation in Turkey and has value for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers.