Minister Çelik paid a visit to Brussels on 29-30 November 2016 where he met with First Vice-President of the Commission Frans Timmermans, Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos and Commissioner for the Security Union Sir Julian King. The visit of Minister Çelik was of significant importance as it is the first visit of the Turkish official following the motion for resolution adopted at the European Parliament regarding a temporary freeze of accession negotiations with Turkey. The latest developments in Turkey-EU relations, dialogue and cooperation with the EU with respect to the refugee crisis and progress in the Visa Liberalisation Dialogue were among the main items which were discussed at the meetings. Following the meetings, at the occasion of a press conference, Minister Çelik highlighted both parties willingness to further cooperate and find solutions to remaining issues. With respect to the refugee crisis, he underlined that neither Turkey nor its neighbourhood were in a position to further share the burden of new flows and thus pointed out to the critical importance of stronger cooperation between the parties in order to prevent such flows.

At the occasion of his visit to Brussels, Minister Çelik also had meetings with IKV Delegation represented by IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, IKV Vice-Chairman Prof. Chairman Prof. Halûk Kabaalioğlu, and IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas and IKV Brussels Representative Haluk Nuray. Furthermore, Minister Çelik also attended the “Turkey-EU Civil Society Meetings” where representatives from the Turkish and EU press, civil society organisations, academic and business communities were also present. Minister Çelik indicated that this meeting represented the first one of a series of four meetings to be held in four different capitals with the aim of bringing together journalists, businessmen, academicians and representatives of civil society organisations.