On 3 July, Turkey’s Minister of Trade, Ömer Bolat, and EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maroš Šefčovič, met in Ankara for the second High-Level Dialogue on Trade. As a candidate country and Customs Union partner, Turkey is a key trading partner of the European Union, with bilateral trade reaching €210 billion in 2024.
The High-Level Trade Dialogue serves as an essential platform for ensuring the effective functioning of the Customs Union and fostering future cooperation. The inaugural meeting, held on 8 July 2024 in Brussels, laid the foundation for a constructive agenda.
During their recent meeting, Minister Bolat and Commissioner Šefčovič reviewed progress in addressing bilateral trade barriers over the past year. They emphasised the importance of collaborative engagement, which has led to positive outcomes.
Key areas for further cooperation discussed included the green transition, digital trade, business mobility, customs cooperation, and the trade in organic products. Both sides underscored the need to prevent the circumvention of EU sanctions and to enhance collaboration amid current geopolitical developments.
Significant achievements included progress on three priority trade issues identified by the EU: preferential quotas for beef meat, import controls under TAREKS, and registration surveillance. An agreement was also reached on updated rules of origin protocols for the EU-Turkey Free Trade Agreements and the acceptance of electronically issued A.TR movement certificates.
Both parties plan to finalise decisions on mutual recognition of Authorised Economic Operators’ Programmes and to pursue low-level discussions regarding e-commerce. This dialogue aligns with the EU’s Joint Communication on Turkey from 29 November 2023. It remains a crucial step toward enhancing the Customs Union and supporting economic security.
Additionally, the third High-Level Dialogue on Migration and Security was held in Istanbul, where Commissioner Magnus Brunner and Minister Ali Yerlikaya addressed topics such as migration management, visa policy, and security issues. This engagement reaffirmed the commitment to effectively implement the EU-Turkey Statement, highlighting Turkey’s vital role in managing migration along the Eastern Mediterranean route.
