Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The meeting was attended by Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of TOBB and Vice President of Eurochambres; Vladimir Dlouhy, President of Eurochambres; Barbaros Murat Köse, Director of the Central Finance and Procurement Unit; Dominik Olewinski, Head of the Trade and Economy Section of the EU Delegation to Türkiye; and Bülent Özcan, Director General of Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ EU Directorate.

In his speech, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the project was funded by the European Commission and had a total value of €6 million.

Hisarcıklıoğlu said that they worked with Eurochambres in the implementation of this project and that they have been carrying out these projects since 2002.

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the project will continue until 2027, adding, “Within the scope of the project, 18 projects will be implemented by pairing chambers and commodity exchanges from Türkiye and EU member countries. The projects to be implemented will focus on current and strategic areas such as energy efficiency, sustainable growth, green and digital transformation, development of the startup ecosystem, agriculture, food, rural development, sustainable tourism, and the EU acquis.”

- “Our long-term competitive strength can only be preserved through deeper and more resilient partnerships.”

TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the world is going through a period of increased conflict and uncertainty, that world trade has moved away from its old structure, and that a rule-based trading system no longer exists.

Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that in a period of such heightened uncertainty and dizzyingly rapid transformation, the business world needs a “reliable compass,” saying:

“We believe it is very important for our chambers and exchanges to fulfill this ‘reliable compass role.’ This is our duty. We must continuously develop our service capacity with this understanding. Chambers and commodity exchanges should be strategic actors that inform their members in a timely manner about changes in global trade policies and tariff applications, provide awareness, training, and guidance services in the field of artificial intelligence and digitalization, facilitate their members’ access to new markets, and support their integration into European and global value chains.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that the Türkiye-EU Business Dialogue Project aims to contribute to positioning chambers and commodity exchanges not only as representatives but also as guiding, transforming, and empowering institutions in this regard. He stated that the current climate of uncertainty poses serious threats to economies such as Türkiye and the EU, which are open to the outside world and integrated into global trade.

Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Our long-term competitiveness can only be protected through deeper and more resilient partnerships. Türkiye, as a candidate country, occupies a critical position in the EU value chain. Türkiye has a dynamic production infrastructure. We have a young and skilled workforce. We are also strategically located, connecting Europe to Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. The EU, which aims to achieve green and digital transformation goals, is dependent on critical raw materials. However, 90 percent of rare earth elements are sourced from a single country. Reducing this vulnerability in a sustainable manner requires closer cooperation with Türkiye. Türkiye’s manufacturing and defense industries can enhance both the competitiveness and security of the EU.”

- “The current framework of the Customs Union does not respond to today’s trade and investment relations.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the current framework of the Customs Union does not respond to today’s trade and investment relations, emphasizing that modernizing the Customs Union is not just a trade issue.

Hisarcıklıoğlu explained that this step is also of great importance in terms of strategic alignment, competitiveness, and common security. He pointed to the EU’s recent emphasis on the “Made in EU” approach as another important issue.

Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “This should also be followed closely. While the goal of increasing the resilience of European industry is understandable, this approach should not turn into a protectionist and exclusionary framework. Türkiye has been integrated into the European industrial manufacturing market for 30 years through the Customs Union. Addressing the ‘Made in EU’ concept with an inclusive, complementary, and mutually beneficial perspective would be healthier in terms of joint competitiveness.”

- “Understanding and economic cooperation remain the cornerstone of this relationship”

Eurochambres President Dlouhy also emphasized the importance of the initiative at a time of profound global transformation.

Noting that they were meeting at a time of increasing complexity in the international economic environment, Dlouhy said that global trade was facing growing uncertainty and that geopolitical tensions were reshaping supply chains.

Dlouhy noted that strategic autonomy does not mean isolation, stating, “On the contrary, it requires a strong, reliable partnership with key economic partners that are deeply integrated into the European value chain with neighboring regions. It is clear that Türkiye is one of these partners. This geographical proximity, combined with its current dynamism and size, makes it perhaps the most important partner in this context, perhaps even the deepest partner.”

Pointing out that Europe must remain an open market, Dlouhy emphasized that their goal is to strengthen Europeans’ capacity to move, innovate, and bring about lasting change.

Pointing out that EU-Türkiye relations are as complex as they are rich, Dlouhy said, “There may be political differences that we should not hide. Despite political difficulties, understanding and economic cooperation continue to be the cornerstone of this relationship.”

Noting that mutual and beneficial economic cooperation could be a way to bring different political positions closer together, Dlouhy said: “At a time when Europe is reassessing its economic, security, and strategic dependencies, updating the Customs Union is not just about trade volumes, but also about harmonizing standards, increasing predictability, and strengthening integration in strategic sectors. A modernized Customs Union will support Europe’s competitiveness, green transition, and digital transformation goals, while providing Turkish businesses with a more stable and transparent framework for accessing the EU market.”

- “Financial cooperation has always been the most functional aspect of Türkiye’s EU process.”

Barbaros Köse, Director of the Central Finance and Procurement Unit, stated that the financial cooperation mechanisms implemented during Türkiye’s full membership process with the EU are not merely a financing tool, but also a crucial instrument that supports reform processes, strengthens institutional capacity, and enables the establishment of sustainable relationships among different actors.

Köse said, “The projects implemented under the Pre-Accession Financial Cooperation contribute significantly to producing concrete and lasting results in our country’s candidacy process. The project we are launching today, which is also supported under the IPA and referred to as TEBD II, is an important part of this framework.”

Olewinski, Head of the Trade and Economy Section of the EU Delegation to Türkiye, also stated that they viewed the event as an important one that builds on the first phase of the project and promotes cooperation between the European and Turkish business ecosystems.

Olewinski stated that they continue to act as a catalyst in building bridges between business circles in the EU and Türkiye, saying, “Europe and Türkiye share a common interest in working together to accelerate the green and digital transformation by bringing together technology and innovation. The transition to a carbon-neutral, digital, circular, and sustainable economy is now more urgent and important than ever.”

Özcan, Director General of Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ EU Directorate, also noted that this project is one of the most important projects in terms of financial cooperation in the Türkiye-EU process.

Özcan noted that Türkiye is currently facing many problems, threats, and difficulties in its EU process, but that financial cooperation has always been the most functional aspect of this process.

The TEBD II Project, funded by the European Commission, will be implemented between 2024 and 2027 with the participation of chambers and commodity exchanges from Türkiye and 11 EU member states; it focuses on 18 twinning programs, energy efficiency, sustainable growth, and EU acquis.