THE IMPORTANCE OF TURKISH AGRICULTURE WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EUROPEAN UNION

After the Ottoman Empire's collapse following World War I, Turkish revolutionaries led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk emerged victorious in the Turkish War of Independence, establishing the modern Turkish Republic as it exists today. The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The EU has developed a single market through a standardized system of laws that apply in all member states. Turkey signed a Customs Union agreement with the EU in 1995 and was officially recognized as a candidate for full membership on 12 December 1999. Agriculture is of great importance to Turkish economy since 22% of its population is employed in this sector. Turkey is also a rival of the EU production sector and is very rich in terms of biodiversity. Here, Inan examines the significance of Turkish agriculture within the framework of EU's Common Agricultural Policy.