Türkiye and the European Union are making progress on updating their Customs Union agreement, with technical discussions covering e-commerce, public procurement, investment and agricultural products, Turkish trade minister Omer Bolat has said.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to Brussels, Bolat said negotiations were advancing on a “case-by-case basis”, despite the EU Council not yet formally authorising the European Commission to launch modernisation talks.
He said technical discussions with European counterparts were already under way, following the completion of a bilateral analysis and the passage of Türkiye’s new public procurement law in late July.
“We’re making progress on a case-by-case basis since the relevant issues have come up and authorities of the European Commission are conducting negotiations with us,” Bolat said.
He stressed that maintaining economic ties was as important for the EU as it was for Türkiye, noting that bilateral trade had increased elevenfold over the past three decades to reach a record $233 billion.
Industrial and digital trade
Bolat said Türkiye had spent the past year working to address concerns over restrictive provisions in the EU’s proposed Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA).
He warned that some measures in the draft legislation could affect future investment and disrupt integrated supply chains, particularly in the electric vehicle and automotive sectors.
Ankara is maintaining communications with EU officials to convey its expectations and reduce the potential economic impact of the proposed rules, he added.
Bolat also said the EU was coordinating with Türkiye on preparations for digital trade legislation. Türkiye remains exempt from a newly implemented EU regulation imposing a €3 fee per package, he said.
He cautioned that political intervention by the European Parliament could have adverse consequences, adding that many European officials also supported including Türkiye in the “Made in EU” origin framework.
However, he noted that the EU comprises countries with differing economic interests, urging a “calm and level-headed” approach.
Bolat said he had made three official visits to Brussels over the past three months, following five visits last year, and expressed hope for positive developments in the talks.
