Asking the right questions? Addressing corruption and EU accession

Purpose – Turkey is currently a candidate for accession to the European Union (EU), and one of the pre‐conditions is to address corruption. Turkey is also a member of the Council of Europe and subject to the GRECO peer‐review process on corruption. Various quantitative and quantitative surveys rank Turkey as having a continuing corruption problem, while the 2006 GRECO report warned of a lack of progress and proposed major institutional and other reforms. Turkey's political and administrative development, however, may require the EU to understand that addressing corruption in such a context may require different answers from those normally elicited to the usual questions about what is to be done. Design/methodology/approach – The paper synthesizes publicly available information on Turkey's readiness to join the EU, on the basis of its capacity to address corruption. Findings – Turkey's political and administrative development may require the EU to understand that addressing corruption in such a context may require novel answers. Originality/value – The paper provides a new analysis of the situation in Turkey and has value for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers.