Council Decision of 23 January 2006 on the principles, priorities and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with Turkey (2006/35/EC) (repealed)

Democracy and the rule of law

Public administration

• Pursue reform of public administration and personnel policy in order to ensure greater efficiency, accountability and transparency.

• Ensure effective, transparent and participatory local government, in particular through the implementation of recently adopted legislation.

• Establish a fully operational Ombudsman system.

Civil military relations

• Continue to align civilian control of the military with practice in EU Member States. Ensure that civilian authorities fully exercise their supervisory functions, in particular as regards the formulation of the national security strategy and its implementation. Take steps towards bringing about greater accountability and transparency in the conduct of security affairs.

• Establish full parliamentary oversight of military and defence policy and all related expenditure, including by external audit.

• Abolish any remaining competence of military courts to try civilians.

Judicial system

• Ensure consistent interpretation of legal provisions, including the new penal code, related to human rights and fundamental freedoms by all judicial authorities in line with the European Convention on Human Rights and its related case law.

• Ensure the independence of the judiciary, in particular as regards the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors and the appointment of new judges and prosecutors.

• Ensure equality of arms between the prosecution and defence during criminal proceedings, including layout of courtrooms.

• Continue the training of judges and prosecutors on the application of the European Convention on Human Rights and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.

• Strengthen the efficiency of the judiciary through, in particular, reinforcing its institutional capacity and adopting a new code of civil procedure.

• Proceed with the establishment of regional intermediate courts of appeal.

Anti-corruption policy

• Fully commit at all levels to the fight against corruption, including by strengthening all institutions involved, as well as coordination between them.

• Ensure implementation of the Regulation on Principles of Ethical Behaviour for Civil Servants and extend its provisions to elected officials, judiciary, academics and military personnel.

• Limit the scope of parliamentary immunity in line with European practice.