Hungary took over the EU Presidency from Belgium.

 

Estonia became the 17^th member of the Euro Zone.

 

The European Year of Volunteering started.

 

Three new European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) which are the European Banking Authority (EBA); the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA); and the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) were established within the European Union.

 

 

European Court of Human Rights decided against Turkey in the case involving letters written in Kurdish by prisoners  to their families.

 

 

Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, visited Turkey (20-21 January).

 

 

 

 

Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements were signed between Turkey and Georgia.

 

 

 

 

The European Parliament approved the report concerning the Stabilization and Association Agreement between Serbia and EU.

 

 

 

 

Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu was re-elected as the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

 

 

 

 

The negotiations for EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement were finalized.

 

 

 

 

Hanover Court of First Instance decided that Turkish citizens can travel without visa in the EU Member States up to 3 months.

 

 

 

 

European Parliament’s Turkey Report was discussed at the EP Foreign Affairs Committee.

 

 

 

 

European Parliament’s Turkey Report was approved by the EP Foreign Affairs Committee.

 

 

 

 

European Parliament approved the Free Trade Agreement between EU and South Korea.

 

 

 

 

G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting was held in Paris.  Food and commodities prices, exchange rates, public debts and budgetary deficit were the main topics discussed at the Summit.

 

 

 

 

The 66^th Meeting of EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Commission was held in Hatay.

 

 

 

 

EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement was approved by Justice and Internal Affairs Council.

 

 

 

 

European Union Court of Justice decided that insurance companies should determine insurance premiums without using gender as a factor in the calculation of insurance specific risks..

 

 

 

 

Portugal abolished visa requirement for Turkish citizens holding service and special passports.

 

 

 

 

The 25^th Meeting of EU-Turkey Customs Union Joint Committee was held in Brussels.

 

 

 

 

European Parliament approved Turkey’s Progress Report.

 

 

 

European Ombudsman Nikiforos Diamanduros visited Turkey.

 

 

 

The Euro Zone Leaders held a Summit. The Euro Zone Leaders established a “Euro Pact” with the aim of harmonizing economy policies and increasing the competitiveness of the Euro Zone.

 

 

 

 

UN Security Council discussed the Cyprus Report prepared by the UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon.

 

 

 

 

An Association Agreement was initialed between EU and Central America.

 

 

 

 

 

The EU Council Summit was held in Brussels. (24-25 March)

 

Portuguese Prime Minister Socrates resigned due to the disapproval of the 4^th austerity program by the Porteguese Parliament.

 

 

 

Financial support to Portugal was decided at the EU Finance Ministers’ meeting.

 

 

 

 

It became illegal  to wear a face-covering veil or other mask in public places in France.

 

 

 

 

Russia and Turkey reciprocally abolished visa requirement.

 

 

The 49^th Turkey-EU Association Council meeting was held, with an agenda including Turkey’s political and economical developments and Turkey’s harmonization process with the EU acquis.

 

 

 

 

The Economic Development Foundation and Turkey Europe Foundation held “Civil Society Initiative for Turkey’s EU Accession Process” meeting.

 

 

 

 

EP and EU Council announced the year 2012 as “European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations” and approved the  final budget.

 

 

 

 

“Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence” was signed by 13 countries including Turkey.

 

 

 

 

Elections were held in Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus.

 

 

 

EU Ministers for Foreign Affairs met in Brussels. The latest developments in Syria, Libya and other Arab countries were discussed during the meeting.

 

 

 

EU exported bonds to Ireland and Portugal within the scope of European Financial Stabilization Mechanism.

 

 

 

 

G8 Summit was held in France with an agenda concerning North Africa, Middle East and global economic crisis.

 

 

 

 

Egemen Bağış was assigned as the first Minister of European Union in the history of Turkish Republic.

 

 

 

 

The European Commission announced that there was no other obstacle for the accession of Croatia as the 28^th member of EU as of July  2013.

 

 

 

 

Turkish Parliamentary Elections were held.

 

 

 

The Economy and Finance Affairs Council was held in view to discuss the external affairs of Europe Investment Bank, derivative markets, financial services tax, economic and budgetary policies.

 

 

 

The EU Council meeting was held to discuss the coordination of national economic policies, the appointment of the president of the European Central Bank and the economic situation in Greece.

 

 

 

 

French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde was elected as the president of IMF.

 

 

 

 

The European Commission prepared the 2014-2020 budgetary proposal.

 

 

 

 

Poland took over the EU Presidency from Hungary.

 

EU-South Korea Free Trade Agreement entered into force.

 

 

 

 

European Investment Bank granted € 445 million loan to Turkey.

 

 

 

 

The European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Stefan Füle, visited Turkey.

 

The Economy and Finance Affairs Council was held and they adopted a new strategy on Banks

 

 

 

Euro Zone leaders met at an extraordinary summit agreeing mostly on a further bailout for Greece.

 

 

 

Attacks in Oslo causing 92 deaths created major shock and grief in Europe.

 

 

 

 

EU Ministers for Foreign Affairs met unofficially in Poland to discuss the latest developments occurring in the Middle East, the strategic partnerships with India, Brazil and South Africa.

 

 

 

Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg and the President of Eurogroup, visited Turkey.

 

 

 

 

Turkey-EU Joint Consultative Committee’s 29^th meeting took place in Istanbul.

 

 

 

 

EU Ministers for f Economy and Finance held an unofficial meeting concerning the financial support to Greece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A memorandum of understanding was signed concerning an appointment of Turkish experts to European Commission.

 

 

 

European Commission published Turkey’s 2011 Progress Report.

 

 

 

 

Slovakia gave its approval to the expansion of the European Financial Stability Facility.

 

 

 

 

G20 Finance Ministers assembled to resolve the Euro Zone crisis.

 

 

 

Turkey’s contribution margin to Seventh Framework Program was decreased.

 

 

 

 

G20 Summit was held in Cannes, France. The future of the Euro Zone, the latest economic developments in Greece and Italy were the main topics discussed at the Summit

 

 

 

Lukas Papadimos was elected as the new Prime Minister of Greece following the resignation of  former Prime Minister, Papandreu.

 

 

 

 

Italian President appointed Mario Monti as the new Prime Minister, following the resignation of the former Prime Minister Berlusconi, due to the approval of the 12^th austerity program.

 

 

 

 

EUROMED Summit was held in Istanbul.

 

 

 

Members of the European Commission, Füle and De Gucht, visited Turkey.

 

 

 

 

The Council of Ministers of the new Government was declared in Italy.

 

 

 

Right-wing Peoples’ Party won the elections in Spain.

 

 

 

EP President Jerzy Buzek gave a speech in Turkish Grand National Assembly.

 

 

 

 

Istanbul was awarded the “2012 European Sports Capital”.

 

 

 

 

 

EU Ministers forForeign Affairs decided to impose further sanctions on Syria and Iran.

 

European Parliament approved the EU accession of Croatia in 2013.

 

 

 

New government established in Belgium after a world record coalition negotiations lasting more than 540 days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

EU Leaders’ Summit was held where the economic situation and the progress made by Montenegro and Serbia were the main topics discussed.

 

Croatia signed the EU Accession Treaty.

 

 

 

 

 The new set of rules aiming to enhance the EU economic governance (known as the “Six Pack” ) entered into force.

 

 

 

 

EU Council approved the accession of Liechtenstein to Schengen Zone as the 26^th member.