The European Union Harmonization Committee was established on 15 April 2003 in the process of Turkey’s accession to the European Union, in order to harmonize the Turkish legislation with the acquis communautaire. The Committee’s first aim is to assist in preparing Turkey for full membership and to examine the activities of Turkish governments in this matter.

The EU Harmonization Committee is one of the specialized committees of the Turkish Parliament. According to the founding act, the EU Harmonization Committee has the role of a subsidiary committee in the legislative process. It debates the compliance of the draft bills with the acquis and submits its reports to the main committees with its opinion that pertains only to the question of compliance.

From the date of its foundation in April 2007, the EU Harmonization Committee has prepared more than thirty reports on government bills and proposals, and submitted them to the main committees.

When it was established, the number of the members of the EU Harmonization Committee was 18, proportionally distributed among the political parties. In 23rd legislative period the number of the members of the Committee is increased to 26.

The Committee conducts relations with the European Union institutions and other European Union Affairs Committees of member or candidate states. It welcomes the ambassadors, the European Union Affairs Committee members of the other Parliaments and as well as the foreign delegations visiting the Turkish Parliament. The constant relations of the Committee with the foreign delegations contribute to the improvement of the inter-parliamentary relations.

There is an ongoing project titled “Strengthening the Capacity of the Turkish Grand National Assembly”. It is the first EU Twinning Project prepared by the Turkish Parliament and approved by the European Commission.

Prospective outcomes of the project are; to improve the work quality of the newly set-up EU Affairs Office in the Turkish Parliament; to improve the general knowledge of the Members of Parliament and its staff on the EU affairs and the acquis; to strengthen the role of the EU Harmonization Committee; to improve the efficiency of the standing committees; to support the legislative activities and the legal harmonization process; and to strengthen the cooperation with the NGOs.

There will be 17 training activities under six work streams and 7 complementary study visits - to Denmark, France, Italy, Germany, Hungary, United Kingdom and European Parliament- as a part of the EU Twinning Project.

The project has effectively started on 13 November 2007 in cooperation with the Hungarian National Assembly and Chamber of Deputies of Italy and will last 12 months.