Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that the purpose of the project is to bring Turkey closer to its 500bn USD export goal, “We will achieve this by strengthening export performance of the members of TOBB Chambers / Commodity Exchanges. To this end, we will support the memberships of companies on Alibaba, one of the world's largest technology companies. TOBB will also provide pre-finance the fee that companies need to pay to become a member on this platform. Then, 80% of the membership fee will be met by the Ministry of Economy and the remaining 20% will be met by Halkbank and Vakıfbank. Thus our companies will have access to the global market with no cost. We aim to raise the 60% total exports share of SMEs in Turkey even higher.”

The TOBB President pointed out that the Ministry of Economy previously launched the Support for Mass Membership in e-Commerce Sites in order to increase exports, “Now we are launching e-Export Mobilization with the Ministry. First, I would like to thank the Minister for his vision. Under his leadership, the support given to exports has been both diversified and increased. New support programs in line with the spirit of the times we are in have been added to the traditional methods such as the Inward Processing Regime, VAT Exemption, Eximbank credits. In this regard, the Ministry has enacted a number of revolutionary new programs to support inter-firm alliances and clusters, integration into global value chains, and large investments to reduce the current account deficit. e-Commerce Sites Support is the newest among these programs. I extend our gratitude to the Minister for all these innovative developments on behalf of the Turkish private sector.”

Reporting that, as TOBB, they’ve carried out numerous successful activities for the development of e-commerce in Turkey, Hisarcıklıoğlu stating that by founding the TOBB Ecommerce Assembly in 2016, they’ve taken on a role to bridge public institutions with Turkey's leading e-commerce companies, creating a framework in which to design policies that will increase trade.

Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that they reached tens of thousands of SMEs in 2017 with 16 e-commerce conferences 12 provinces, explaining the threats and opportunities of the digital age, demonstrating how SMEs can bring their businesses online.

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that, with the authorization of the Customs and Commerce Ministry, they will start to provide trust seals to e-commerce sites. “With the trust seal application, we aim to eliminate the lack of trust consumers have while shopping online.”

TOBB President stated that the Turkish entrepreneur, with his case of samples, went to countries where he did not know the culture; going door to door, increasing exports from 3bn USD in 1980 to 160bn USD in 2018, said: “Our entrepreneurial spirit and courage have brought us to where we are today. But the old world no longer exists. It is not possible to reach our export targets using old sales and marketing methods. To reach our 500bn USD target, we must diversify the markets we export to and the products we export; we must also increase our export volume.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that now, without paying any fees, it is possible to export and that the need for distributors, branches are no longer exists and bureaucracy has been eliminated.

Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that there is direct access to consumers, “For example, in 2017, there were no companies exporting from Bayburt. Now Bayburt can reach the whole world. Now we can easily market that famous flavor, Bayburt Wire Helva, via e-commerce to Berlin, 3,000 kilometers; to Sydney14,000 kilometers away. Here, in the case of effective use, e-export platforms will ensure that we succeed. I believe this project we launched with the support of our Ministry of Economy will prove to be a new jumping-off point for Turkey's exports.”

Following the speeches, the e-Export Mobilization Project was signed.