The European Union (EU), along with the social and political benefits that come with membership of the EU to consider a holistic approach to environmental policy efforts, constitutes an important model for Turkey.

The Screening Meetings, as the first stage of the negotiation process regarding the chapter "Environment", were completed on 03-11 April 2006 as an Introductory Screening Meeting and a Detailed Screening Meeting on 29 May-03 June 2006.

The "End-of Screening Report" has been drawn up by the European Commission. This End of Screening Report contains (two) 2 "Opening Criteria".

• Building the necessary administrative capacity at national, regional and local scale, as well as presenting a comprehensive strategy for the progressive alignment, implementation and efficiency of implementation of the acquis in this phase in a well-coordinated manner, including plans for the financial resources required, in line with the steps and timelines outlined
• Turkey to fulfill their obligations relating to the implementation of the environmental acquis in accordance with the EC-Turkey Association Council resolutions,

Following the fulfillment of the opening criteria, the Opening Criteria Evaluation Report in the Environment Phase was approved in COREPER on 12.11.2009.

Following the official submission of the Negotiation Position Document on the Environment Chapter to the Presidency, the Environment Chapter was opened to negotiations at the Intergovernmental Conference held in Brussels on December 21, 2009 under the Swedish Presidency. Chapter on Environment became the 12th chapter opened in the European Union Accession Negotiations.

In the EU Common Behavior Paper, six closing criteria, along with one political and five technical, have been determined for the Environment Chapter:

1. Turkey shall fulfill its obligations under the Additional Protocol of Turkey-EU Association Agreement (political criteria),
2. Turkey shall adopt horizontal and framework legislation aimed at bringing the EU's environmental legislation, including the cross-border elements.
3. Turkey shall adopt the legislation oriented at harmonization of the legislation concerning the water quality, and the Framework Law of Water Protection, in particular; Turkey shall constitute the Action Plans of River Basins, and shall make substantial progress in the legal harmonization area by means of adopting the application legislation in this industry.
4. Turkey shall adopt the legislation oriented at aligning with the acquis in the field of industrial pollution control and risk management,
5. Turkey shall keep the harmonization with the legislation in accordance with the “Planning for Constituting Financial Resources Required for Implementation of Administrative Capacity and Environmental Acquis on National, Regional and Local scale”, including the natural protection and waste management for other sectors in this chapter.
6. Turkey shall continue to develop the capacity of the administrative department on every level within the framework of the “Planning for Constituting Financial Resources Required for Implementation of Administrative Capacity and Environmental Acquis on National, Regional and Local scale”, including the inspection services, while also maintaining to improving the coordination of the works, and shall also demonstrate to have all the required administrative structure in a reasonable period of time before the participation in order for putting into force and implementing the acquis in every sector.

Within the scope of the duties and powers of our Ministry, the harmonization and implementation works & studies of the European Union acquis are going on..