Trade minister warns against excluding Türkiye from Made in EU plan

ANKARA

Trade Minister Ömer Bolat has warned that excluding Türkiye from the European Union’s “Made in EU” framework could harm both Turkish and European industries, citing deeply integrated value chains.

Speaking at the closing event of the Türkiye-Italy Business Forum at the Venice Palace in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district, Bolat said Turkish and European industries had become closely linked over decades through production, trade and investment.

“We hope our European friends and partners will not take a wrong decision that would leave Türkiye outside the ‘Made in EU’ project,” Bolat said.

“Such a decision would have serious negative consequences for Turkish and Italian industries, as well as European and Turkish industries in general, whose value chains are closely connected and integrated,” he added.

Bolat said any political decision that fails to take this into account could damage both European economies and Türkiye’s economy.

He also said Türkiye expected Italy’s support for the launch of talks to modernize the Türkiye-EU Customs Union.

Bolat said Türkiye and Italy have one of the strongest economic partnerships in the Mediterranean, built on mutual trust and complementary industrial structures.

Bilateral trade between the two countries has reached nearly $30 billion, he said, adding that the two sides aim to raise it to $40 billion in the medium term.

Italy is one of Türkiye’s leading trade partners after Germany, Bolat said, noting that Türkiye-Italy trade accounts for about one-seventh of Türkiye’s total trade with the European Union.

More than 1,600 Italian companies operate in Türkiye, with total investments approaching $3.5 billion, according to Bolat.

He said Italian companies contribute to a wide range of sectors, including infrastructure, construction, energy, automotive, finance, machinery, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

Turkish companies are also increasing their presence in Italy, particularly in logistics, transport, port operations, automotive, health services, chemicals, textiles and accommodation, he added.

Bolat said Turkish and Italian companies were increasingly cooperating not only in their own markets but also in third countries, including through financing and contracting projects.

He also pointed to growing defense industry cooperation, saying Baykar’s partnerships with Piaggio and Leonardo would contribute to Europe’s defense capacity.

“These developments show that cooperation between two strong and friendly countries is deepening further in advanced technologies and science,” Bolat said.