Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn welcomed the step, stressing that it was "important to ensure fundamental rights and freedoms for all Turkish citizens".
"Its implementation will be the test of Turkey's progress in ensuring rights and freedoms," Rehn pointed out. However, he added that the official text would have to be studied in detail.
Speaking to the Turkish Grand Assembly on 12 February, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the new foundation law "shows our determination on the road to EU full membership" and expected Tukey to gain "versatile benefits".
The EU has long been pressing Turkey to introduce the measures, which allow the foundations to reclaim assets seized more than 30 years ago, including churches, school buildings and orphanages.
The law, which still has to be signed by President Abdullah Gul, would also allow Muslim foundations to receive financial aid from foreign countries.
The Turkish Parliament's action comes just days after EU foreign ministers approved a revised Accession Partnership with Turkey, containing the main conditions for EU membership, in which the protection of minority rights is one of the short-term priorities.
Other conditions listed in the accession accord refer to the strengthening of democracy and the rule of law and human, political and social rights, as well as economic criteria.
Last December, the EU opened two further negotation chapters with Turkey related to trans-European networks (TEN) and consumer and health protection, whereas eight out of 35 chapters have been on hold since 2006, due to Turkey's refusal to open its ports and airports to ships and planes from Cyprus (EurActiv 20/12/2008).
The latest Eurobarometer by TNS revealed that Turkish support for EU membership was continuing to decline. Due to the numerous setbacks in negotations with the EU, only 53% of Turks now believe the country would benefit from joining the bloc, compared to 62% last spring.
Negotiations are expected to become even more difficult under the rather Turkey-sceptic French Presidency, which takes over from Slovenia on 1 July 2008.
