Designed to strengthen the existing cooperation between CENS and IPC, this project will identify and address key questions in a number of policy areas where EU’s and Turkey's interests may be complementary and/or reconcilable. Convergence or divergence in several of these policy areas has direct bearing on the common neighborhood, where both Turkey and EU have mutual interests. The search for a consistent approach that would serve those mutual interests is a timely – even urgent - task that the project will address.

It will do so by (a) developing, as noted, concrete proposals for complementary and, possibly, converging neighborhood policies that would put forth fresh ideas for enhanced cooperation, and (b) examine two significant policy areas that are relevant to those mutual interests in the region and beyond.  These are (a) Energy: although Turkey’s geopolitical importance for the EU’s energy supply sources and routes is clear, the Energy chapter has not been opened for negotiations, and (b) Transport: Another chapter that has not been opened despite Turkey’s strategic and commercial significance for EU’s transatlantic network. In addition, the project will identify and consider resolvable differences in three other policy areas: Intellectual Property, Free Movement of Goods, and Enterprise & Industrial Policy.

The project will be conducted in three consecutive stages: project preparation; implementation (research, workshops, and preparation of policy papers); and publication and communication.  Following a small conference, bringing together a working group of experts, two workshops will be organized that will bring together the Working Group with policy makers for a focused discussion on the three key questions. The second workshop will also help review the draft policy papers and make suggestions for the final draft.  In addition, this workshop will focus on designing a communications strategy for the results of the project.  Finally, the project will result in three major policy papers, which will be communicated at a panel discussion and press conference organized in Brussels.