Turkey has opened the environment negotiation chapter in its bid to gain full membership in the European Union, bringing the total of open chapters to 12 out of 35.

The environment chapterwas opened as part of Turkey's EU accession negotiations at an intergovernmental conference in Brussels.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, State Minister Egemen Bağış, the chief negotiator for EU talks, and Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu represented Turkey at the meeting.

Foreign Minister Carl Bildt of Sweden, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, attended the meeting on behalf of the bloc.