Differentiated integration: towards a new model of European Union-Turkey relations?

With high interdependence, politicization, and unlikely enlargement, alternative options for EU-Turkey relations beg for consideration. This article argues that, first of all, conceptualization of a new model of EU-Turkey relations must thoroughly account for the evolution of the European project away from uniformity and towards more differentiation as a result of both integration and disintegration pressures. Secondly, an extended model of external differentiated integration has a potential to foster new, more dynamic EU-Turkey relations. However, its practical implementation is constrained by a number of challenges and scope conditions related to preferences and interests of key actors, namely EU institutions, member states and Turkey.