The 58th General Assembly of IKV was held on 13 July 2020 with the participation of the presidents of IKV’s founding and trustee institutions, representatives of supporting organisations and delegates.

President of Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC) Şekib Avdagiç was elected as Assembly President while Istanbul Chamber of Industry Vice Chairman İrfan Özhamaratlı was elected Assembly Vice President and IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas was elected clerk. The opening speeches of the General Assembly meeting were delivered by IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, ICOC President Şekib Avdagiç, ICI Vice Chairman İrfan Özhamaratlı and Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TİM) Chairman İsmail Gülle. Representatives of IKV’s trustee institutions underscored that Turkey’s EU membership perspective has become even more important in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and pointed to the key role IKV has been playing as “Turkey’s EU expert” in this process. Recalling the EU’s significant share in Turkey’s trade and foreign investments, they voiced the business community’s expectation for the revitalisation of Turkey’s EU accession process.

In his speech, IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu stated that the COVID-19 pandemic affected Europe and the EU profoundly and emphasized the importance of creating a new normal instead of going back to the past in the post-pandemic normalisation period. IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu pointed out that in this new era, global value chains dependent on a single centre will be replaced by regional production centres close to the EU. Indicating that Turkey had an advantageous position in this regard, IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu stressed the need to restore Turkey-EU relations by overcoming the current challenges.

IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu stated that the revitalisation of Turkey’s EU accession negotiations, modernisation of the Customs Union, completion of the visa liberalisation process, continuation of the cooperation on refugees, relations with UK in the post-Brexit period and contributing to the Conference on the Future of Europe were the priority areas identified in IKV’s 2020 work programme. Zeytinoğlu indicated that IKV was working tirelessly and with determination in line with its founding values and concluded his remarks by extending his gratitude to IKV’s founding and trustee institutions including TOBB, and supporting organisations.