Türkiye takes first step toward EU visa-free travel with data protection draft

Under a new approach announced in August, Türkiye has drafted new personal data protection legislation, one of six outstanding criteria for EU visa liberalisation, and the work has reached the stage of technical talks with the European Commission.

Türkiye has taken its first concrete step under a new strategic approach, announced in August, to secure visa-free travel to the European Union. According to Hurriyet daily’s Brussels correspondent Guven Ozalp, Ankara has prepared a new text for its personal data protection legislation, one of six criteria it has been unable to complete for 13 years.

The EU has long demanded that Türkiye’s Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK) be brought in line with European standards. Representatives of the relevant Turkish ministries and European Commission officials are expected to meet soon. That technical meeting will be one of the first steps toward meeting the criterion and will guide the next stages.

A biometric passport of the Republic of Türkiye

The European Commission’s assessment will be decisive for the process to move forward, as it will examine whether the work meets its expectations. Türkiye is also widely expected to request flexibility on some elements of the criterion.

The six outstanding criteria in Türkiye’s visa liberalisation process are: amending its counter-terrorism legislation, concluding an agreement with Europol, taking anti-corruption steps, judicial cooperation with all EU member states, full implementation of the Readmission Agreement, and aligning its personal data legislation with European standards.

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