Turkish business group urges EU to revive Türkiye accession process

ISTANBUL

Türkiye’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) has launched a public diplomacy campaign urging German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders to revive Türkiye’s stalled European Union accession process.

In a full-page open letter published in the German newspaper Bild, DEİK argued that “a strong Europe is impossible without Türkiye.”

The letter was published as part of the second phase of a broader campaign timed around Europe Day, following similar appeals in the Financial Times in January.

DEİK called for a “paradigm shift” after years of stalled accession talks, saying Türkiye’s integration into the EU’s economic security and defense architecture had become a strategic necessity.

The board cited challenges including migration, demographic change, artificial intelligence and the energy transition as areas where closer Türkiye-EU cooperation was needed.

It also said Türkiye’s full integration was essential if the EU wanted to become a global power, referring to Merz’s approach to Europe’s strategic future.

DEİK said the Turkish business community had long been part of European value chains and argued that a credible path toward EU membership would help rebuild strategic clarity and trust between Ankara and Brussels.

The board also urged the modernization of the EU-Türkiye Customs Union, calling it critical for Europe’s competitiveness at a time of growing geopolitical fragmentation.

Mehmet Ali Yalçındağ, head of DEİK’s Türkiye-Europe Business Councils, said the campaign would continue with similar open letters in major newspapers in France, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands.

“We deem the future of Türkiye-EU relations as not just an economic partnership but a strategic necessity,” Yalçındağ said.

He added that DEİK would continue outreach with universities, civil society organizations and think tanks to promote its message among European stakeholders.