IKV Chairman Vardan participated on the 8th April 2014 in a panel organized by TOBB and World Bank to the discuss the report prepared by the Work on the evaluation of Turkey-EU Customs Union.

This report prepared by the World Bank following a request from the European Commission was highly acknowledged by IKV Chairman Vardan.  While presenting solutions to overcome the problems arising from the current way of functioning of the Customs Union and while analyzing the impacts of the expansion of the scope to new areas, the report adopted a holistic and integrated approach. In his speech, Vardan explained that the Customs Union has contributed in the development of exports, in the increase of products’ quality as well as of the competitiveness of Turkish industry. However he also pointed out that it is necessary to solve without further delay the problems arising as a result of its asymmetric structure.

In his speech, Ömer Cihad Vardan explained that Turkey, as EU’s partner in the Customs Union, should be involved the free trade agreements signed by the European Union with third countries. In this regard he explained that these agreements should be negotiated and should enter into force in parallel with Turkey. Furthermore Vardan stressed that the transport quotas constituted in reality a non-tariff barrier to the transportation of exported products. Vardan also drew the attention to the visa problem encountered by Turkish businessmen wishing to travel to EU Member States to sell his product or to attend an exhibition or a business meeting. In this context, Vardan explained the visa application constituted an important barrier in the development of trade relations between Turkey and EU. Therefore Vardan insisted on the importance of the visa liberalization process. IKV Chairman Vardan concluded by urging the authorities to take into account the outcome and policy recommendations made by the World Bank.

In regard to the issue of upgrading the Customs Union, Vardan explained the need to revise the Customs Union in the light of the developments that have occurred in world trade, in EU and in Turkey. In regard to the recommendations made by the World Bank to expand the scope of the Customs Union to the agricultural and tertiary sectors, IKV Chairman Vardan insisted in the need to conduct further in-depth impact assessments and studies in this issue.  Vardan stressed on the importance to solve these issues in regard to the Customs Union and to take the necessary concrete step without further delay.