With the official commencement of the membership negotiations between Turkey and EU, Turkey's transformation process gained pace and Turkey's integration with the EU went beyond solely a foreign policy subject. The requirement to secure gradual compliance with the EU acquis brought along a deep structural transformation that affects all actors of Turkey's economy.

One of the main research areas of the Foreign Policy Studies is the monitoring of the impacts of the EU harmonization process with the transformation period Turkey goes through. With this lens an EU Working Group was founded and efforts were initiated to inform private sector and relevant non-governmental organizations about issues that affects the economy directly at every stage of the negotiation process. Studies of the Working Group concentrate on three main areas. First is studies devoted to capacity development for local journalists in Communications with Europe and to Improvement of Civil Dialogue with Europe. The second category consists of Preparatory Studies for EU Negotiations. In this context, the capacity to conduct impact assessment for negotiation chapters is enhanced. Developments under each negotiation chapter are closely monitored by research associates. Furthermore, an Economic Analysis and Planning (EAP) is established to identify to what extent Turkey can secure the economic transformation expected to be achieved through the EU accession process in case the relevant chapters are not opened for negotiation. EAP meetings are targeted to assess Turkey's economic priorities and develop a matrix that sets an economic schedule for Turkey in parallel with EU policies with the participation of representatives of public institutions and non-governmental organizations. Under the third category, Studies to Establish a Network at Europe are targeted with the purpose of founding a network with think-tanks and universities and assess the EU harmonization process in this context.

Stemming from the belief that the European Union negotiation process will play a great role in the transformation Turkey is to go through, studies in this area are emphasized by other research groups of TEPAV as well as by TEPAV | EPRI.