IKV Board of Directors Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu and IKV delegation visited TÜSİAD Board of Directors President Cansen Başaran-Symes on 15 December 2015. During the visit, relations between IKV and TÜSİAD, which is among the trustee organizations of IKV, as well as joint activities that could be initiated in the new period are discussed.

During the meeting, IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, who took office at the occasion of the 53^rd General Assembly which was held on 6 July 2015, stressed the revitalisation of the Turkey-EU relations following the agreement on cooperation regarding the refugee crisis. Underlining the importance given by the EU reform process in the new government programme, IKV Chairman mentioned that IKV will continue to support Turkey’s accession process with contributions to follow the process with reforms in the upcoming period.

TÜSİAD President Cansen Başaran-Symes underlined that TÜSİAD is a strong supporter of Turkey’s EU accession. Underlining the importance given by the new government programme to EU accession process, TÜSİAD President stressed that messages given by the business world are of a great significance for supporting the process.

During the meeting, revision of the Customs Union and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership are discussed while parties agree to cooperate in monitoring these processes and to initiate joint activities.

Following the meeting, IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu offered TÜSİAD President Cansen Başaran-Symes a ceramic plaquet at the occasion of IKV’s 50^th anniversary.

İKV Board of Directors Ayhan Zeytinoğlu was accompanied by Vice-President Prof. Haluk Kabaalioğlu and Zeynep Bodur Okyay, Member of the Steering Committee and Accounting Member of Board of Directors and Adana Chamber of Commerce Atilla Menevşe, Member of the Steering Committee Dr. Zeynel Abidin Erdem, Member of the Board of Directors and Istanbul Commodity Exchanges Vice-Chairman İlhan Koyunseven, Members of the Board of Directors İlhan Soylu, Sedat Zincirkıran, Audit Committee Member Mustafa İçöz, Secretary-General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas, Deputy Secretary-General and Research Director Melih Özsöz and TOBB EU Department Researcher Senem Yavaş. TÜSİAD Secretary-General Zafer Ali Yavan, TÜSİAD Deputy Secretary-General Hale Hatipoğlu and Senior Chief of European Union Relations Department Zafer Gazi were also present during the meeting.