Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat met with Maros Sefcovic, European Commission Vice-President for Trade, Ambassador Thomas Hans Ossowski, Head of the EU Delegation to Turkey, and their accompanying delegation during the “Turkey-EU High-Level Trade Dialogue Meeting” held yesterday at the Ministry of Trade.
Following the meeting, Minister Bolat stated that the discussions had added strategic depth to Turkey-EU economic relations and paved the way for a positive agenda between the parties.
New Threshold System for Visa Liberalisation
Minister Bolat conveyed the EU delegation’s approach to visa liberalisation with the following remarks:
“It was expressed that visa procedures will be expedited, a new threshold system will be introduced, and faster processes will be implemented within this framework. We were informed that serious work on this matter will commence soon. We consider this an important step forward.”
Turkey is requesting facilitated, long-term, and multiple-entry visas for specific groups, especially businesspeople, transporters, technical experts, academics, students, and NGO executives. Bolat stated that diplomatic engagements continue both with EU institutions and member states to speed up this process.
Call for Customs Union and Trade Cooperation Update
Emphasising that trade in 2025 cannot be managed with rules set 30 years ago, Bolat underlined that updating the Turkey-EU Customs Union is not a choice but a necessity. He highlighted that steps towards digitalisation of trade, sustainable development, and integration of next-generation trade policies offer win-win opportunities for both Turkey and the EU economies.
The meeting achieved progress in the following areas:
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Removal of trade barriers
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EU acceptance of electronic A.TR documents
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Cooperation on TAREKS and surveillance regulations
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Joint action plan for green and digital transformation processes
Bolat stressed that Turkey, with its qualified workforce, advanced production infrastructure, and strategic location, is Europe’s reliable production partner and emphasised Turkey’s key role in supply chains.
Visa and Transit Facilitation Request for Transporters
Bolat pointed out that in an environment where goods circulate freely, obstacles faced by drivers, transporters, and logistics operators in visas and transit crossings pose significant barriers to trade. He called on the EU to lift transit passage quotas as well.
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