Turkey has failed to make progress and is even backsliding on bringing its laws into line with European Union standards as it seeks to join the bloc, AP reported quoting the EU's executive arm.

The European Commission, which monitors membership talks, said in a report that Ankara continues to crack down on opponents and the media and that "no progress has been achieved" in fighting corruption.

Brussels also called on Turkey to lift the state of emergency that was introduced after a 2016 coup attempt. It said the "broad scale and collective nature, and the disproportionality of measures taken" by the Turkish government under the state of emergency, "such as widespread dismissals, arrests, and detentions," raised "serious concerns."