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Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz on Friday said a “strong Türkiye-European Union perspective” remains achievable, as Ankara pushes for a rapid resumption of talks to modernize the customs union with the bloc and address visa regulations.
Yılmaz’s remarks came following a meeting with EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos and her delegation in Ankara. Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat was also present.
The talks focused on the strategic nature of Türkiye-EU relations, the importance of a credible and fair enlargement policy and the need for concrete progress in ties, Yılmaz said on the social media platform NSosyal.
“Concrete steps regarding the full EU membership process, the modernization of the Customs Union, visa liberalization and the revitalization of high-level dialogue mechanisms are vital for Türkiye-EU relations, which are too important to be confined to narrow agendas,” he noted.
“We believe that a strong Türkiye-EU perspective, advancing on the basis of mutual interest and shared responsibility, as well as equality, merit and inclusivity, is possible.”
Türkiye has been an official candidate to join the EU since 1999, but its accession has been frozen for years over multiple disagreements.
The sides have in recent months shown signs of increased engagement and economic cooperation.
The EU-Türkiye Customs Union entered into force in 1995, but is limited to industrial goods and processed agricultural products. Türkiye and business world have repeatedly called for talks to modernize the deal to restart, but no concrete steps have been taken.
Trade Minister Bolat said Friday’s talks focused on strengthening Türkiye-EU trade ties through a shared understanding of competitiveness and economic security.
Türkiye conveyed its expectation that the EU’s new trade and competition policies should remain compatible with the functioning of the customs union, he noted.
“In a highly positive atmosphere, we reaffirmed our mutual will to take concrete steps in trade on the basis of mutual benefit and to work together on a tangible and positive agenda,” Bolat said.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was also due to meet with Kos later on Friday.
Sources on Thursday said Fidan would also push for a speedy resumption of talks on updating the customs union.
During the talks, Fidan will “underline that it is essential for discussions to modernize the customs union to start without delay,” a Turkish Foreign Ministry source told Reuters.
The person also said Fidan would call for cooperation on migration to be “reshaped on the basis of fair sharing of burden and responsibility in line with the realities in the field.”
Under a 2016 deal, Ankara significantly curbed migration to Europe and agreed to take back migrants who had crossed from its territory to Europe in return for EU aid to help fund more than four million refugees on Turkish soil.
Fidan was also expected to convey Türkiye’s expectation that the bloc’s move in July to ease visa regulations for Turks be implemented effectively.
After years of complaints regarding the bloc’s visa system, which the EU says was overwhelmed by applications, the EU decided to ease rules for Turks to use its open-border Schengen area.
In an interview before her arrival, Kos said visa-free travel was one of the main topics in which she would like to see advancement.
Previously, Fidan noted that Türkiye’s inability to fully integrate with the EU, including as a full member, represents a historic missed opportunity for both Türkiye and Europe, arguing that deeper cooperation could have delivered far-reaching strategic gains.
