EQUAL TREATMENT OF MIGRANT TURKISH CITIZENS IN THE EU: CONTRASTING THE KAHVECİ CASE WITH THE OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS CASE

Equal treatment on the grounds of nationality is a key concept in the law relating to the Ankara Association of Turkey with the European Union. The Kahveci case, decided by the Court of Justice in 2008, deals with the prohibition on discrimination against Turkish workers duly registered as belonging to the labour force of the EU Member States with respect to remuneration and other conditions of work. The case concerns professional sport (football). The present article compares the judgment in this case with another football case decided by the Court of Justice in 2010 under EU law, namely Olympique Lyonnais. However, this case concerned the prohibition of restrictions of free movement, rather than of discrimination on grounds of nationality. Could this much broader concept also be relevant in the context of the Ankara Association?