Le 14 avril 1987, Turgut Özal, Premier ministre de la République de Turquie, adresse à Leo Tindemans, ministre belge des Affaires étrangères et président en exercice du Conseil des Communautés européennes, une lettre dans laquelle il demande l'adhésion de la Turquie à la Communauté économique européenne.

On 9 October 1985, Richard Balfe, British Member of the European Parliament and rapporteur for the European Parliament’s Political Affairs Committee, submits his report on the human rights situation in Turkey.

On 15 April 1987, the day after Turkey submitted its application for accession to the European Communities, the French daily newspaper Le Monde outlines the obstacles to Turkey’s participation in the efforts towards European integration.

On 15 April 1987, the Madrid-based daily newspaper El País comments on Turkey’s application for accession to the European Communities and outlines the main challenges it raises.

On 8 May 1987, the French weekly magazine L’Express speculates about the implications of Turkey’s possible accession to the European Communities.

On 18 June 1987, the European Parliament adopts a resolution on a political solution to the Armenian question and asks the Council to secure from the Turkish Government an acknowledgment of the Armenian genocide of 1915–1917, thereby enabling a political dialogue to be established between Turkey and the representatives of the Armenian people.

On 20 December 1989, in response to Turkey’s application for accession to the European Communities submitted on 14 April 1987, the European Commission delivers a negative opinion on the opening of accession negotiations, citing both economic and political reasons.