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The United Kingdom is moving at an unusually rapid pace to expand its free trade agreement with Türkiye, with negotiations progressing faster than initially expected, U.K. Minister of State for Trade Policy Chris Bryant said.
Speaking to Anadolu, Bryant said Türkiye is among the U.K.’s top priority countries for completing an expanded free trade agreement as soon as possible.
He noted that three negotiation rounds have been completed in just six months since talks began last summer, calling the pace “almost unheard of” for free trade agreement processes.
The existing U.K.–Türkiye Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force on Jan. 1, 2021, has already boosted bilateral trade, which reached £28 billion (nearly $38 billion) last year, according to figures shared by Bryant.
During high-level talks in London on Thursday, the two countries signed a new Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) Action Plan containing 16 concrete measures, along with a mutual recognition agreement.
The deals were signed during the eighth term meeting of the Türkiye–U.K. JETCO, held during a visit by Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat.
Both sides aim to double bilateral trade volume in the mid-term.
Bryant said the focus of the talks is on delivering practical outcomes that businesses can implement.
He welcomed Türkiye’s agreement to liberalize telecommunications, describing it as a significant opportunity for both service delivery in Türkiye and British companies.
He confirmed that the fourth round of negotiations on expanding the agreement is scheduled for February, adding that while some of the easier issues have been resolved, more challenging topics will be addressed in the coming months.
Bryant said further negotiation rounds are expected later this year.
Bryant highlighted the broader strategic relationship between the two countries, citing strong cooperation in trade, defense and security.
He noted that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Türkiye for the first time in eight years in October, a visit he said helped advance discussions on the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Türkiye.
Türkiye signed an £8 billion ($10.7 billion) deal with the U.K. in October to purchase 20 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, a move the British government views as a model for cooperation among NATO allies.
Bryant said defense cooperation through manufacturing and NATO alliances reflects the strength of bilateral ties.
Bryant said NATO commitments remain central to the U.K.’s foreign policy, stressing that the future of Greenland should be decided solely by the people of Greenland and Denmark.
He added that the U.K. is also pursuing a potential free trade agreement with Greenland, citing tariff and non-tariff barriers that need to be addressed.
He noted that geopolitical developments can influence trade discussions, particularly in sectors such as energy.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced interest in taking control of Greenland, a self-governing territory within Denmark, and has not ruled out the use of military force.
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