IKV Vice Chairman Prof. Haluk Kabaalioğlu, IKV Secretary-General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas and their accompanying delegation was in Brussels for various meetings on 10-11 May 2017. At the occasion of the visit, a variety of meetings with various officials from the European Commission were held with respect to Turkey-EU relations following the 16 April 2017 constitutional referendum.

IKV Delegation had a closed working meeting with Head of Turkey Unit at Directorate General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) Myriam Ferran where both parties had an opportunity to share their views. During the meeting, Head of Turkey Unit Ferran underscored the importance of communication between the parties and of enhancing consensus in that respect. She further reminded the need for Turkey to take the necessary steps to advance in the technical aspects of the accession negotiations. As for IKV Vice Chairman Prof. Kabaalioğlu, he shared his wish that relations between the parties would be strengthened in the upcoming period.

Furthermore, IKV Delegation also had an opportunity to assess the latest developments regarding the negotiations on the modernisation of the Customs Union with Directorate-General Trade (DG TRADE) Director Ignacio Bercero. In that respect, both parties shared views regarding the upcoming negotiations which are scheduled to start in 2017.