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Türkiye's trade volume with the European Union has reached $327 billion, with officials describing the relationship as "relatively balanced," according to statements made during a press meeting at the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) headquarters in Istanbul.
DEIK President Nail Olpak highlighted the substantial economic ties between Türkiye and the European Union during the press gathering.
"We have bilateral trade with the European Union amounting to $327 billion. It's a process that continues quite balanced within itself," Olpak said.
Olpak noted that DEIK now operates 153 business councils, recently adding a new one to their portfolio. He emphasized that the rapidly changing global agenda affects not only Türkiye but the entire world.
"After the change of administration in the United States, we have all evaluated together where the process that came to the agenda with trade wars will evolve," Olpak stated.
Addressing ongoing challenges, Olpak mentioned that visa issues remain at the top of their classical problems with the EU. He also noted that high-level economic dialogue meetings with the European Union have been suspended.
"In the last two years, there has been a diplomatic attitude displayed by the European Union," he added.
Mehmet Ali Yalcindag, Coordinator President of DEIK Türkiye-Europe Business Councils, characterized the current situation as a historic opportunity for relations between Türkiye and the European Union, describing it as "the biggest historic opportunity seen in 40 years."
"The business world is very important because it's not very political, not the government, not those who govern the state, not the 85 million on the street.
We are in the middle of both, trying to find the right path with the effects we receive from both sides, and we are trying to act as a guide here by conducting commercial diplomacy," Yalcindag explained.
Referring to recent geopolitical developments, Yalcindag mentioned U.S. President Donald Trump's impact on European relations.
"President Donald Trump became the person who disrupted the table when talking about Europe. The meetings in Moscow are the result of this," he said.
Yalcindag highlighted the importance of Türkiye's strategic position, noting that while the United States represents only 4% of the world's population, it maintains its position as the world's manager with an economy of around $28 trillion and a population of 350 million.
By comparison, he stated that the European Union, together with Türkiye, has a commercial volume of $20 trillion and represents a population of 600 million.
"We say to Europe: 'Take Türkiye with you. Reshape yourself at that table and say I am sitting here and sit down. No one can remove you from that table.' That's what we need to do," Yalcindag concluded.
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