Investigation of Turkey's Progress in Social Policy and Employment Chapter in the European Union Membership Negotiations Process

In this article, the Social Policy and employment chapter of Turkey, which is a candidate for EU membership, has been examined in terms of development over the years. A qualitative research design was made in the study. In this qualitative research design, the literature and documents related to the subject were examined and the analyzed findings were presented. Turkey's EU membership process were examined through the progress reports and the processes were evaluated. Focusing on the chapter of social policy and employment, the problems experienced in the negotiation process and the solutions in this process that Turkey went through were discussed. As a result of the research, although it is stated that there are deficiencies in terms of adaptation with the acquis in some areas and problems in implementation, it has been determined that Turkey's level of adaptation with the acquis is also defined as advanced in EU reports. In the negotiation process that has been going on for years, Turkey has made a lot of progress in the social policy and employment chapter, which has not yet been opened, not only in terms of opening criteria, but also in terms of the entire chapter. Turkey needs to solve some structural problems in these areas and transfer the missing parts of the European Union acquis into its own legislation.