Türkiye’s Trade Minister, Ömer Bolat, is calling for accelerated negotiations on reforming the Customs Union with the European Union, emphasizing the importance of leveraging the recent progress made in high-level trade discussions.
During a meeting with Thomas Hans Ossowski, head of the EU delegation to Türkiye, Minister Bolat highlighted the significance of capitalizing on the positive momentum from the High-Level Trade Dialogue to push forward the reform process.
“Türkiye values its growing relationship with the EU, our most important trade partner,” Bolat stated on social media following the meeting. “Now is the time to fast-track negotiations on Customs Union reform, especially with the recent momentum in our cooperation.”
Bolat also reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for an inclusive EU trade policy and stressed the country’s commitment to collaboration on green and digital transformation, which aligns with the EU’s key priorities.
The Customs Union Agreement, established in 1995, enables the free movement of goods between Türkiye and the EU, but recent years have seen challenges, including Türkiye’s exclusion from EU free trade agreements, road transport quotas for Turkish trucks, and Türkiye’s limited role in decision-making processes.
Minister Bolat emphasized that addressing these issues will enhance bilateral trade relations and foster mutual economic growth.
