Despite the difficulties related to the implementation of the report, the European Commission noted that the process has progressed significantly and that the number of those who attempt to illegally cross the Aegean Sea has fallen significantly. On December 13, 2016, at a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, it was rejected demands offor the European Parliament and Austria to stop negotiations with Turkey were rejected. At the meeting, it was indicated that close relations with Turkey should be established while rejecting the decision to freeze accession talks with Turkey, but it has been decided to not to open a new chapter in the negotiation process (Nielsen, 2016).
However, the President of the EU Council of Ministers, Donald Tusk, has announced that a meeting withbetween the EU and Turkey would be held. Even if strained relationsthough relations are strained between the two sides, The EU stated that the dialogue should continue on issues such as visa liberalization and updating the Customs Union with Turkey. Johannes Hahn, EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, likewise argued that the Customs Union between Turkey and the EU provides significant gains infor both parties, and said that as soonan as possible and need to be updated Customs Union was needed as soon as possible (Ateş and Aydın, 2017). In addition, on December 21, 2016, the European Commission has submitted to the EU Council of Ministers thea request for authorization to initiate negotiations for the updating of the Customs Union between Turkey and the EU. With theIt is believed that modernization of the Customs Union, both sides are considered to havewould provide significant economic benefits. It wasis also envisaged that EU companies would also gain significant advantages through the inclusion of agriculture, public procurement, and services (European Commission, 2016).