Commissioner Lamy in Turkey to discuss bilateral trade issues

EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy will travel to both Istanbul and Ankara on 21-22 July to discuss bilateral trade issues with the government, business and civil society. This visit will be coupled with the Fourth Euro-Med trade ministerial conference, which Commissioner Lamy will co-chair in Istanbul on 21 July. On the eve of his departure Pascal Lamy said: "Our Customs Union with Turkey, which will celebrate at the end of next year its tenth birthday, provides for a deep trade relationship which is constantly evolving. This is an excellent opportunity to meet up with the Turkish government, as well as other key interested parties such as business associations, trade unions and NGOs, to discuss the best ways in which we can deepen and widen our important trade relationship. "

After the end of the Fourth Euro-Med trade ministerial conference, Mr. Lamy will proceed to meet with various representatives of the Turkish civil society in Istanbul, including non-governmental organisations, religious personalities, as well as representatives of the Turkish business community, to go over bilateral issues having an impact on trade relations. In Ankara, Mr. Lamy will have the opportunity to meet Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Abdullah Gül, Economy Minister Ali Babacan, as well as Mr. Tüzmen, his Turkish counterpart on foreign trade affairs. Pascal Lamy is also scheduled to meet the Chairmen of the Turkish Parliament's Foreign Affairs and Trade committees, as well as representatives of the opposition.

A large part of his visit will be devoted to seeking a satisfactory resolution of long-lasting bilateral trade irritants, such as the Turkish ban on imports of beef. He will also invite Turkey to proceed rapidly in the current negotiations on including services and public procurement under the EU/Turkey Customs Union.

Background

Commissioner Lamy's visit to Turkey takes place at an important time for the country: the European Council of 17-18 June has reaffirmed its commitment to open accession negotiations with Turkey "without delay" if the European Council decides in December 2004, on the basis of a report and recommendation from the Commission to be issued in October, that Turkey fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria.

In 2003 Turkey ranked 8th in the EU's top export and 10th for EU imports markets. The EU accounts for 47.9% of Turkey's total external trade, followed by the US (7.3%), Russia (5.8%), Switzerland (2.7%) and China (1.9%). Textiles accounts for some 41.4% of total imports from Turkey. Other important imports from Turkey are transport material (13.4%), agricultural products (9.5%) and office machinery and telecommunications equipment (6.6%). In 2003, the EU imported goods worth €23.9 billion and exported goods for €28.1 billion, with a resulting trade surplus of approximately € 4.3 billion.

For more information on Turkey:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/issues/bilateral/countries/turkey/index_en.htm

For more information on the Fourth Euro-Med trade ministerial conference:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/issues/bilateral/regions/euromed/index_en.htm

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• Fourth EuroMed Trade Ministerial (20/7/2004)