Conclusion
The EU–Turkey CU needs modernization but, despite recognition of this on both sides, political disputes have stunted progress and brought it to a standstill. Neither party seems willing to broaden and deepen the bilateral economic relationship by bringing the current CU arrangement up to date.
The stalemate suggests the need for a new strategy that is more gradual and open-ended to bypass the existing logjam
The stalemate suggests the need for a new strategy that is more gradual and open-ended to bypass the existing logjam. It is possible to make progress by focusing negotiations on a narrow set of core areas and separately setting longer-term ambitions and goals.
For the UK, the Turkish experience with the EU shows the shortcomings of a CU. While it would eliminate the need for complex rules of origin, it would still mean long queues for trucks and lorries at the border, no say in EU trade deals with non-EU countries, obligation to adopt EU rules and regulations, asymmetrical market access, and the inability to adequately challenge unlawful restrictions introduced by EU member states on UK exports.