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By News Centre

Trade Minister Ömer Bolat met with EU Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, EU Delegation Head Ambassador Thomas Hans Ossowski, and their delegation at the Turkish Ministry of Trade for the “EU-Turkiye High-Level Trade Dialogue Meeting.” The meeting lasted nearly three hours, followed by a joint press conference.

Speaking after the meeting, Minister Bolat emphasized that the dialogue added strategic depth to Turkiye-EU economic relations and paved the way for a new, positive agenda. He recalled recent high-level engagements, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s December 2024 meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and his own June talks with Sefcovic in Paris.

Bolat highlighted significant progress in removing trade barriers, EU acceptance of electronically issued A.TR certificates, cooperation on Turkiye’s TAREKS and surveillance regulations, and enhanced collaboration on green and digital transformation. Strengthening joint value chains will guide future cooperation in these fields.

Regarding the Customs Union, Bolat said it has substantially contributed to improving Turkiye’s industrial infrastructure and boosting the global competitiveness of Turkish products. He described Turkiye as a strategic partner for Europe in securing resilient global supply chains due to its skilled workforce, dynamic production capacity, advanced financial system, and geostrategic location.

However, Bolat acknowledged that the current Customs Union framework does not fully align with today’s trade dynamics. Both sides agree on the need to update the agreement to include digitalization, services trade, sustainable development, and next-generation trade policies. He called on the EU Council not to overlook technical progress made and stressed that modernizing the Customs Union is not optional but essential for mutual benefit. "We cannot manage 2025 trade with rules set 30 years ago," he said.

On visa liberalization, Bolat shared that EU institutions and member states are working on speeding up visa procedures through a new threshold system, which is expected to be implemented soon. He expressed hope that visa freedom for Turkish citizens will be granted as soon as possible.

Amid global turmoil, Bolat emphasized the critical nature of EU-Turkiye cooperation as key trade and investment partners. He noted the EU’s efforts to close innovation gaps, balance climate goals with competitiveness, and reduce dependency in energy and defense sectors.

Turkiye’s infrastructure, technology, engineering, manufacturing capabilities, and human resources make it an indispensable partner for Europe’s industrial, defense, and innovation ambitions. Bolat said the meeting laid the foundation for a vision based on a more strategic understanding.

He also voiced expectations that Turkiye will be regarded as an EU member in defense, energy, and contracting sectors. Bolat concluded by highlighting the tenfold increase in Turkiye’s exports to the EU since the Customs Union came into force on January 1, 1996, noting Turkiye’s position as the EU’s fifth-largest trade partner and its importance as a major manufacturing and supply hub. He underscored that 70% of foreign investment in Turkiye originates from European countries, generating $70 billion in annual exports.

Commissioner Maros Sefcovic described the strengthening of EU-Turkiye trade ties as encouraging, projecting the bilateral trade volume to reach 210 billion euros this year. He reiterated Turkiye’s pivotal role as a Customs Union partner and EU candidate country, affirming the EU’s commitment to deepen this relationship.

Despite global trade challenges, Sefcovic said the Customs Union Agreement remains a solid foundation. He reported positive outcomes from the meeting regarding the removal of trade obstacles, noting meaningful progress in addressing three of six priority barriers: beef imports, TAREKS, and import surveillance of EU products. He expressed optimism that these barriers will be eliminated from the list following final approvals.