Trade Minister Bolat wanted Türkiye to take part in the EU's industrial policies as an equal partner

Bolat and EU Commission Member Responsible for Trade Maros Sefcovic made statements to the press after the Türkiye-EU Third High Level Trade Dialogue Meeting held in Brussels.

Pointing out that the EU-Turkey high-level trade dialogue and the Customs Union, which has been valid for 30 years, are very important for mutual economic integration, Bolat stated that they discussed many issues at the meeting, including the implementation of the Customs Union and disruptions in trade.

Bolat said, "We had a very constructive, productive and comprehensive discussion." he said.

Reminding that there is a deep-rooted partnership between the EU and Türkiye, Bolat said that the economies have become highly integrated and integrated over the decades.

Bolat said, "Over the years, our supply chains have also become intertwined. These have become possible, especially thanks to the successful implementation of the Customs Union. Today, Turkey is not only a trade partner of the EU, but also a strong and indispensable part of the European production ecosystem and supply chain." made his assessment.

Pointing out that the best example of successful integration and high-level supply chain is the automotive industry, Minister Bolat reminded that Türkiye's largest trade partner is the EU and Türkiye is the 5th largest trade partner of the EU.

Pointing out that the annual total trade volume between Turkey and the EU has reached 205 billion euros, Bolat said, "When we look at the last 5 years, we can say that the total trade volume between Turkey and the EU has reached 900 billion euros. This is a really serious trade volume." he said.

Emphasizing that the EU and its member countries should embrace this fact, Bolat said, "Türkiye should be fully integrated into the EU's new industrial strategies. Türkiye should not be left out of these strategies." he said.

Bolat said that they are trying to resolve existing problems within the scope of high-level trade dialogue and are exploring new cooperation opportunities.

Stating that they were able to give a new impetus to the trade dialogue thanks to the cooperation between them and Sefcovic, Bolat explained that they were able to discuss the issues in a very open and transparent manner.

Bolat said, "Our dialogue, which is established on the basis of mutual respect and open communication, and this solution-oriented approach, is really valuable. It is extremely valuable for the future of our relations. Our trade and economic relations within the framework of the Customs Union are also evaluated within the framework of green transformation and digital transformation." he said.

Reminding that they have undertaken important work on issues such as carbon regulation at the border and e-commerce, Bolat continued his words as follows:

"We are working on the implementation of the Customs Union in different areas. I think we should take the same approach in other emerging areas as well. We must face common challenges together and further strengthen our economic integration. The EU and Türkiye have great potential in green and digital transformations and the transition to a circular economy. The two sides have the opportunity and potential to create the most resilient supply chains in the region."

Effects of the Made in EU initiative on the automotive industry

Regarding the possible effects of the EU's Industry Acceleration Law and the "Made in EU" initiative on Türkiye's automotive industry, Bolat said, "There is a very strong industrial integration between Turkey and the EU. With the Customs Union, which has been going on for 30 years, both parties are mutually dependent, especially in the automotive sector. 26 percent of the annual trade of 205 billion euros comes from the automotive trade. This amounts to 55 billion euros." he said.

Bolat stated that the EU automotive sector has investments in Türkiye and that 75 percent of the automotive production in Türkiye belongs to EU companies, initiatives and their subsidiaries in Türkiye.

Emphasizing that Turkey and the EU automotive sectors are very strongly interconnected and integrated in both vehicle and parts production, Bolat underlined that the relationship between Turkey and the EU in the automotive sector should be taken into account.

Bolat continued as follows:

"The integration of Turkey and the EU is sustainable, balanced and based on the win-win principle, both in the automotive sector and in other sectors. So, you can think of it as a two-lane road. It is not a road that flows only in one direction. Therefore, what is needed on both the EU and Turkish sides for the welfare and employment of our economies, industries and people is for the Industrial Acceleration Law and the 'Made in EU' project to consider Türkiye as an equal partner from the very beginning. This will be in the interest of both parties."

Sefcovic: "Türkiye is a key partner for the EU"

EU Commissioner Sefcovic also said, "Türkiye is a key partner for the EU and our trade volume continues to grow." he said.

Stating that thanks to the Customs Union, mutual trade in goods reached a record level of approximately 218 billion euros in 2025, and trade in services exceeded 40 billion euros, Sefcovic said, "Turkey is the only major economy with which the EU has a Customs Union relationship. Therefore, it is not surprising that our businesses have such close ties and supply chains are intertwined in many sectors." he said.

Sefcovic stated that Turkish and European business representatives strongly support the updating of the Customs Union and demand closer cooperation in green and digital transformations.

Stating that Türkiye has implemented various transparency measures in the Risk-Based Control System in Foreign Trade (TAREKS), Sefcovic stated that these steps will make it easier for EU exporters to use the system.

Sefcovic also stated that an agreement was reached on the mutual recognition of authorized liability programs, and noted that the goods of businesses deemed reliable by the two parties will pass through the borders faster, and this will facilitate trade flows and customs cooperation.

joint statement

In the joint statement published after the meeting, the strategic importance of Türkiye-EU trade relations was emphasized and the parties' common interests in supporting growth, competitiveness and resilient value chains were confirmed.

Pointing out the important role of the Customs Union, the statement stated that concrete steps were discussed to improve the business environment for companies on both sides.

In the statement, it was noted that the trade barrier regarding import controls within the scope of TAREKS has been removed, and constructive cooperation will continue to solve the problems faced by EU companies in practice.

It was stated that Türkiye's completion of compliance with the EU's new Machinery Directive is an important step in ensuring the free movement of goods without technical obstacles within the scope of the Customs Union.

In the statement, it was stated that the parties confirmed their intention to advance the work on the implementation of the agreement on mutual recognition of authorized taxpayer programs, and that they also agreed to carry out technical work on the mutual recognition of electronic signatures.

In the statement, it was reported that cooperation opportunities in areas such as public procurement, circular economy, mobility of business people, digital trade and technical legislation compliance were discussed.

It was underlined that the parties will continue to work on concrete solutions that will support more predictable, transparent and mutually beneficial commercial relations.