IKV and DEIK Chairman Ömer Cihad Vardan attended the EU Trade Counsellors meeting held in Istanbul on 18 May 2015. The meeting which brought together trade counsellors of EU Member States’ embassies and consulates was chaired by the Counsellor and Head of Section of Trade, Economy and Agriculture of the EU Delegation to Turkey Balazs Gargya.

During the meeting, Chairman Vardan explained the current problems encountered by the Turkish business community within the Customs Union, especially in regards to the visa policy applied towards Turkish citizens, the quotas imposed on Turkish trucks and free trade agreements signed by the EU with third countries. Chairman Vardan also emphasized that Turkey should take part in the TTIP process. Reminding that both parties agreed recently to revise the Customs Union, he further added that a Customs Union whose scope has been expanded and shortcomings overcome will be economically more beneficial for both parties.