Key dates in EU-Turkey Relations:

1987- Turkey submits application for full membership on 14 April.

1993- The EU and Turkey Customs Union negotiations start.

1996- The Customs Union between Turkey and the EU takes effect on 1 January.

1998-  First Progress Report for Turkey published.

1999- Turkey gains the status of candidate country for EU membership at the Helsinki Summit in December.

2000-The EU-Turkey Accession Partnership is adopted by European Council.

2000- The Turkish Government adopts the National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis.

2001-The European Council decides to increase  EU financial support through "pre-accession instrument" (IPA) at the Copenhagen Summit.

2004-The European Council decides to open membership talks with Turkey on 17 December.

2005- Accession Negotiations starts on 3 October.

2007-The European Commission presented to the European Council the Regular Report concerning  Turkey's accession negotiations in November.

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