The closing event of the Improving the Influence Capacity of Civil Society Sector in EU Accession Process – INFL(EU)NCE Project funded by the EU and carried out in partnership with the Jean Monnet Alumni Association under the Civil Society Support Program II was held in Fairmont Quasar Hotel, İstanbul on 27 October 2021. IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu delivered an opening speech at the event. In his opening speech, IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu underlined IKV’s crucial role in informing Turkey on the EU and the EU on Turkey and stated that under the leadership of TOBB, IKV and TEPAV would form a “Green Platform” aiming to focus on the essential and comprehensive transformations that would gain impetus with the European Green Deal.

The event continued with a panel discussion on “Alignment with the European Green Deal and EU Funds” moderated by IKV Deputy Secretary General M. Gökhan Kilit. The speakers of the panel session were Director General for Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation at Turkish Foreign Ministry Directorate for EU Affairs Bülent Özcan, Deputy Director General for International Agreements and EU at the Ministry of Trade Bahar Güçlü and IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas. The first speaker of the panel session, Bahar Güçlü provided information on the Fit for 55 Package and related EU initiatives as well as Turkey’s Green Deal Action Plan. The second speaker, Bülent Özcan gave detailed information on EU programmes and funding opportunities under the IPA III, Erasmus+, LIFE and Horizon Europe. The final speaker of the panel, Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas talked about the future of the relations between Turkey and EU with particular emphasis on the European Green Deal.

Following the panel discussion, group activities took place and the event ended with a networking exercise and lunch.