While Turkey pursues a policy of constructive engagement in its neighborhood and beyond, full integration with the EU is and will remain the priority. Membership in the EU is Turkey’s strategic choice and this objective is one of the most important projects of the Republican era. With the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, Europe will undertake new responsibilities on a global scale. European leaders now have a chance to demonstrate their resolve in preparing the EU for the challenges of the 21st century, both internally and, even more decisively on the global stage.