Trade Minister Bolat Calls on Italian Business World for Investment and Trade
Trade Minister Ömer Bolat met with Italian investors in Rome, emphasizing the need to increase investments in Turkey and announcing a trade target of $40 billion.
Holding contacts in Rome, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat met with top executives of Italian companies, calling on them to make more investments in Turkey and announcing that the bilateral trade volume target is $40 billion.
Comprehensive Contacts with Italian Investors in Rome
Trade Minister Ömer Bolat met with senior executives of about 15 Italian companies following his meeting in Rome with Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani.
Bilateral Trade Volume Target
Stating that Italy is Turkey's second-largest foreign trade partner within the European Union, Minister Bolat noted that the current trade volume has exceeded $30 billion.
It was conveyed that the medium-term trade volume target set by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stands at the level of $40 billion.
Trade Data for the First Eight Months of 2026
According to data shared by the Ministry of Trade, the total trade volume between Turkey and Italy exceeded $19 billion in the first 8-month period of 2026.
Cooperation Potential in Strategic Sectors
Representatives of Italian firms operating in the fields of defense industry, communications, space technologies, energy, automotive, port operations, and Ro-Ro transportation were listened to at the meeting.
It was stated that the total investments of 1,645 Italian companies currently operating in Turkey exceed $4 billion, while Turkish companies' investments in Italy are around $1 billion.
Customs Union and Made in EU Approach
While the European Union's new industrial policies and the Made in EU approach were addressed in the talks, it was emphasized that Turkey has been a member of the Customs Union for 30 years.
Stating that Turkey should also be evaluated within the scope of Made in EU, particularly in the automotive sector, support from the Italian side was requested on this matter.
Economic Integration Between Turkey and the European Union
It was noted that in Turkey-EU relations—where the total foreign trade volume over the last 5 years has reached $1 trillion—economic integration is of critical importance for both sides.