DOI: 10.30586/pek.1912039 ISSN: 2587-2567

Advanced Energy Partnership Despite Frozen EU Accession Negotiations: Empirical Evidence from the Turkish– EU Membership Process

Dilara Sülün
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The purpose of this research is to explore the increasing collaboration in energy between Türkiye and the EU within the interdependency theory despite the frozen negotiations. The methodology consists of legislative research, empirical assessment, document and policy analysis. The research primarily evaluated empirical data, including technical legislation, high-level negotiations, multilateral agreements, and projects implemented in Türkiye's energy chapter between 2005 and 2025. Document and policy analyses were also conducted using the EU's "2025 Communication on EU Enlargement Policy" and the "2025 Türkiye Report." The research demonstrated that, despite the suspension of negotiations by political decision, relations and cooperation on the energy chapter remain quite advanced, in line with the theory of interdependence between the parties. Energy is indeed an area of mutual interest and enhanced cooperation, making it a “supra-political area” of cooperation for mutual strategy and benefits. Furthermore, the EU's 2025 Türkiye Report revealed that energy and energy-related topics are put forth repeatedly, followed by economic and investment priorities. Despite the frozen negotiations, the progress made in the energy chapter has been examined in terms of theoretical framework, legal legislation, and implementation, and in addition to empirical projects and case studies, document and policy analysis has been made on two important documents published in November 2025, regarding Türkiye’s EU accession process, providing thus an objective, up-to-date, and original contribution to the literature.

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