Customs Union

The bilateral trade volume between Türkiye and Germany is expected to surpass $50 billion at the end of this year, top Turkish officials have said.

Germany's Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck and an accompanying delegation were in Türkiye this week for high-level talks.

Habeck met with Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek and Trade Minister Ömer Bolat.

A new period of dialogue has begun between Türkiye and the European Union on trade, the Trade Ministry has said, following a virtual meeting with Trade Minister Ömer Bolat and Valdis Dombrovskis, the vice president of the European Commission.

Respect for European norms is a prerequisite for the improvement of EU-Turkey relations, the Foreign Affairs Council stated during their session in Brussels on Thursday. Ankara has expressed its expectation of positive steps from the EU concerning visa liberalization and the Customs Union. 

National Economy and Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis arrived in Brussels on Thursday to participate in the Eurogroup and ECOFIN meetings.

Hatzidakis was to present the priorities of the Greek government in the field of economic policy at the Eurogroup meeting on Thursday.

The Turkish president on Nov. 17 urged countries of the European Union to take "concrete steps" to develop ties with Turkey, a candidate for EU membership, and to take a strategic approach on relations with Turkey.

Turkey's Green Reconciliation Working Group, which was formed under the leadership of the Ministry of Commerce, will intensify its activities in order to remove barriers to foreign trade and ensure the green transformation of companies.

The Green Deal, a set of policy initiatives by the European Commission to make Europe climate neutral by 2050, can create cooperation between the EU and Turkey to work towards same objectives, according to an official.

Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, head of the EU Delegation to Turkey, said Ankara has taken a major step by ratifying the Paris Agreement.

Europeans must honor their commitments to Turkey as part of a migration deal signed in 2016, the Greek minister for migration and asylum said on Oct. 4. 

Notis Mitarachi said the EU-Turkey migration deal must be implemented by both sides to manage the refugee flows and stem illegal trafficking in the Aegean Sea.

The European Union must work with Turkey for the stability of the region and beyond, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Sept. 23 after meeting a senior EU official.

The top diplomat met with Josep Borrell, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, on the sidelines of the 76th session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call on Sept. 8 with the Italian prime minister, saying Turkey expects Italy, a NATO ally, to respond appropriately to the importance it attaches to bilateral relations. 

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