DEİK chief pushes for Türkiye to partner in EU’s green, digital shift

ISTANBUL

Türkiye should move beyond the role of a supplier to Europe and position itself as a founding partner in the European Union’s green and digital industrial transformation, according to Mehmet Ali Yalçındağ, head of the Foreign Economic Relations Board’s (DEİK) Türkiye-Europe Business Councils.

Yalçındağ said the increase in Türkiye’s exports to EU countries in the first half of the year was a significant achievement, given Europe’s limited economic growth, high financing costs and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties.

He noted that Türkiye’s relationship with the EU market is not based solely on cyclical export demand but also reflects deeper, more structural integration across production, supply chains, logistics and industry.

According to Yalçındağ, Türkiye’s ability to increase exports to the EU, even as demand in Europe remains weak and both consumer lending and investment appetite are under pressure, confirms the flexibility of Turkish industry and its reliable position within European value chains.

He said exports to EU countries in the January-June period accounted for 43.5 percent of Türkiye’s total exports, up from 42.8 percent in the whole of last year.

Yalçındağ stressed the importance of completing the green transition and fully complying with new EU standards, including the digital product passport. He said competitiveness should be based on being a fast, reliable and environmentally sustainable supplier rather than relying on low labor costs.

Referring to the “Made in Europe” approach being discussed within the EU, particularly in the automotive sector, Yalçındağ said Türkiye is an integral part of Europe’s industrial ecosystem thanks to the Customs Union, its candidate-country status and its highly integrated production structure within European value chains.

“Türkiye should be positioned as one of the founding partners of Europe’s green, digital and resilient industrial transformation rather than merely a supplier adapting to the European market,” he said.

“Türkiye is not just a country that sells products to the EU; it is a strategic partner that forms an integral part of supply chains,” Yalçındağ said. He added that recent EU trade, industrial and competition policies should be viewed not simply as new regulatory obligations for Turkish exporters but as part of a broader reshaping of global trade dynamics.

He argued that Türkiye, now the EU’s fifth-largest trading partner globally, has the potential to become a major production hub for Europe thanks to its logistical proximity and strong manufacturing base.

Advancing integration through the modernization of the Customs Union, alignment with green and digital standards, financial integration and sustainable supply chains should therefore be a key objective in the coming period, he said.

Yalçındağ highlighted the need to resolve outstanding issues such as customs union modernization, visa difficulties and road transport quotas. If Türkiye strengthens its logistics and digital infrastructure and combines its existing advantages with structural green-transition reforms, it can continue to secure the largest share of demand within a sluggish EU market in the second half of 2026, he said.