The Ankara-based Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV) and the Rome-based International Affairs Institute (IAI) launched the project "Talking Turkey" in 2006. The starting point of the project and the creation of a European network of experts to carry out the research was the awareness that perceptions and positions regarding Turkey's EU accession process vary from one member state to another. Having overviewed these perceptions, the project analyzed the different stakeholders in Europe, including Turkey, who shape European debates on EU-Turkey relations. The objective of this Turkish-Italian initiative is the development of ideas for a differentiated EU Communication Strategy on Turkey that accounts for the different concerns, interests and sensitivities across member states.

The first stage of the project, in 2006-7, focused on the perceptions and prejudices concerning the questions of conditionality and impact of Turkey's accession. This phase culminated in the book "Conditionality, Impact and Prejudice in EU-Turkey Relations" and the findings were presented to European policy-makers, analysts and media at a meeting held at the European Parliament in September 2007. The second stage of the project has involved research on how different stakeholders in Europe, the US and Turkey assess Turkey's EU membership prospects, and this research has been reflected in a book titled "Talking Turkey in Europe: Implications for a Communication Strategy".

The meeting held in Berlin on the 5th of December 2008 was the venue where the book as the second output of this network has been launched and discussed. The meeting aimed at discussing various stakeholders' perceptions on Turkey's potential membership as well as the prospects of a successful healthy communication strategy within the EU capitals that will promote Turkey's accession to the EU. In the first session followed by introductory remarks, the Italian, Greek, US, French, Polish and Turkish stakeholders' positions on Turkey-EU relations were discussed by the authors of the book. By taking into account the necessity that Turkey needs tailor-made communication strategies for each member state, the second session has focused on various perspectives on this necessity and possible outputs. In this context, Ambassador Oğuz Demiralp, the Secretary General for EU Affairs in Turkey discussed the Turkish perspectives, Mr. Vural Oger, Member of the European Parliament underlined German visions and finally Ambassador Marc Pierini, the Head of the European Delegation to Turkey emphasized various European perceptions.