Turkey ful fills acquis under consumer and health protection chapter

Turkey has fulfilled the acquis under the Consumer and Health Protection chapter with regard to smoking. A statement issued by Turkey’s Ministry for EU Affairs said that the determined steps taken by the Turkish government has ensured that it has fulfilled another chapter of the acquis in its membership bid, adding that a working group meeting of the Consumer and Health Protection chapter was held in Brussels on October 4 in Brussels as part of the Positive Agenda which has been set out as a new method to overcomethedeadlockinTurkey's EU accession process. During the meeting, the steps taken in the framework of Turkey’s fight against smoking, as well as the progress made by Turkey with regard to contagious diseases were highlighted, and that the Commission has confirmed that a direct technical criteria of harmonization regarding tobacco has been fulfilled by Turkey. Speaking on the issue, Turkey’s EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said that smoke-free zone would enable EU to breathe a sigh of relief. Bagis added that Turkey’s membership would become an important source of oxygen for EU, where the air became misty due to effects of global crisis and problems in its decision-making mechanisms.