The Turkey-EU Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) gathered for the 38^th time on 8-9 April 2019 in Brussels, Belgium. The JCC was established in a bid to strengthen the cooperation between Turkey and the EU, as well as to institutionalise the economic and social dialogue between European and Turkish stakeholders. It is composed of members of EESC representing the European side and of employers’ organisations, such as the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK), Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations (TİSK) and members from associations and civil society organisations from Turkey.

At the opening, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs, Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı, President of TOBB and Turkey-EU JCC Co-Chairman M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Turkey-EU JCC Co-Chairman Panagiotis Gkofas and Director for Strategy and Turkey at DG NEAR Myriam Ferran delivered their speeches. During the two-day long JCC meetings, Turkey-EU relations, the modernisation of the Turkey-EU Customs Union, the refugee crisis, latest economic developments, as well as employment and social issues in Turkey, were discussed with the participation of a wide-range of experts.

IKV Chairman, Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, attended the JCC and shared the views of IKV regarding the future of the relations between Turkey and the EU. IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu emphasised that the negotiations to modernise the Turkey-EU Customs Union need to start as soon as possible. In addition, IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas, who was representing the Turkish civil society at the JCC meetings, delivered a speech regarding the current problems in Turkey-EU relations.