European Union–Turkey relations

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen on Jan. 9 discussed the steps aimed at enhancing the relations between Turkey and the European Union, the Turkish authorities have said.

The landmark free trade agreement signed between Turkey and the U.K. has shown that the European Union Customs Union falls behind on many fronts, a top Turkish official said on Jan. 6. 

The deal between Ankara and London signed last week could be a model for updating the customs union, said Nail Olpak, the head of Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board, at a virtual meeting.

Paying an official visit to Portugal on Jan. 7, Turkey's foreign minister will discuss with his Portuguese counterpart bilateral relations as well as Turkish ties with the EU, whose rotating presidency Portugal currently holds, according to Turkey.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu will pay an official visit to Portugal on Jan. 7 and will discuss with his Portuguese counterpart bilateral relations as well as Turkish ties with the EU, whose rotating presidency Portugal currently holds.

Turkey on Jan. 5 repeated its call to Greece to resolve the disputes between the two countries in the Eastern Mediterranean through dialogue and international law.

Turkey's president on Dec. 26 proclaimed that 2021 would be a year of democratic and economic reforms in the country.

"As promised, I hope 2021 will be a year of democratic and economic reforms," Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said at an opening in Ankara via video link from Istanbul.

The European Union plans to spend hundreds of millions of euros over the next year helping refugees living in Turkey most of them people who fled the war in Syria.

Turkey's LC Waikiki opened its flagship store in Kampala, Uganda.

The fashion retailer is ​​​​​​​Europe's fastest-growing urban fashion chain, internationally renowned for offering high-quality apparel at a great value.

As the global ambassador of Turkey, LC Waikiki opened its first store outside Turkey in 2009 and has since expanded rapidly across the world.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a video conference on Dec. 19 discussed bilateral ties and Turkey-EU relations.

"Turkey wants to open a new page in relations with the EU," Erdoğan said, according to a statement from Turkey's Communications Directorate.

President Tayyip Erdogan told European Council President Charles Michel in a call that Turkey wants to build its future with the EU, calling for Ankara and the bloc to move on from a "vicious cycle" in ties, the Turkish presidency said late on Tuesday.