TÜRKİYE\u27NİN AB ÜYELİĞİ VE AB\u27DE DİN ÖZGÜRLÜĞÜ

The declaration of Turkey\u27s candidacy for EU membership started a new phase in which the repercussions on the issue of religious freedoms acquired increasing significance. The EU is composed of democratic and pluralistic societies most of which adhere to Christian faith. The issue of human rights and within its scope the issue of religious freedoms does not directly come under EU prerogatives. The issue is dealt with indirectly through the implementation of EC law and in the rulings of the European Court of Justice. The principles of human rights as delineated in the European Human Rights Convention form part of the general principles of law under EU law. Article 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights and Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 annexed to the European Convention constitute the main provisions that regulate religious freedoms in Europe. The rulings of the European Court of Human Rights also interpreted and limited the scope of such rights. The analysis of the repercussions of EU membership on the issue of religious freedoms regarding Turkey leads to multi-dimensional considerations such as the incidence of increasing numbers of residents of various faiths , need for decentralization of and plurality in religious institut-ions, the problem of the negative image of Islam in Europe due to fundamentalist movements , the issue of animal slaughter, and religious rights of Turks residing in EU countries. Turkey\u27s EU membership is bound to bring to the fore new questions in relation to religious freedoms . It will prove to be inevitable to present and interpret the issue of religious freedoms and the provision of religious services in a new perspective and through a different rhetoric.