Trade Minister Ömer Bolat Conducts Contacts for Turkey-EU Trade in Brussels

During his official contacts in Brussels, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat met with European Union officials to discuss the updating of the Customs Union, new industrial policies, and mutual commercial relations.

Intensive Contacts in Brussels

Trade Minister Ömer Bolat carried out important talks in Brussels together with a delegation including representatives from the Ministry of Trade and the automotive sector.

Within the scope of the visit, meetings were held with EU Commission members, Members of the European Parliament, and various union officials.

The Need to Update the Customs Union

Emphasizing that Turkey is the EU's fifth largest trade partner, Bolat stated that the Customs Union, which has been in effect for 30 years, needs to be modernized.

He stated that there is a strong desire for negotiations to begin, but the official process has not yet started due to objections from certain member states.

"Made in EU" Approach and Protectionism

Increasing protectionist trends in world trade, along with the EU's Clean Industrial Deal and "Made in EU" approach, are being closely monitored.

Comprehensive negotiations were held regarding the impacts of these regulations on Turkey-EU trade, investments, and particularly the automotive sector.

Trade Volume and Sectoral Data

It was announced that the mutual trade volume between Turkey and the EU reached 233 billion dollars last year.

It was noted that automotive trade reached a size of approximately 62 billion dollars during the same period.

Visa Processes and Win-Win Basis

It was conveyed that improvements have been experienced in appointment and application procedures with the Cascade system implemented last year, though differences remain between countries.

It was stated that efforts will continue to advance relations on a reciprocal win-win basis and in a balanced structure.