Mr Marc Hendrickx participated in the CoR working group  on Turkey which took place on 4 June 2012 in Mugla in Turkey. Local and regional representatives (LRA) from both EU and Turkish sides discussed the need to include the Turkish LRAs in the process of drafting a new constitution. 

Mr Mark Hendrickx said: "The basic principles and the functioning of the European Union confer an important role to local and regional authorities, making decentralization an inevitable path towards the achievement of the acquis communautaire. It is very helpful that at the same time the new talks with the EU started. The new positive agenda was launched on 17 May. The aim of the positive agenda, endorsed by the EU Member States and by Turkey, is to keep the accession process going and put it back on track after a period of stagnation.