IKV Chairperson Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, made a statement in the occasion of 9 May Europe Day. In his statement, Chairperson Zeytinoğlu said:

“This year, we are celebrating the 9 May Europe Day, five days before the critical elections in Türkiye. This coincidence also brings a critical agenda with itself. No matter what political picture emerges after the 14 May elections in Turkey, the EU process needs to be revived. Turkey's relations with the EU entered a recession after 2016. Subsequently, developments such as the COVID-19 epidemic and the Russia-Ukraine War seriously affected the European agenda. Under the difficult conditions created by these developments, the EU gave priority to taking the necessary steps to bring into action the Green Deal and digitalization goals. With the crises in fact, the whole world is going through a great transformation. While economic processes, production and consumption patterns and ways of doing business are changing, the laws and legislation accompanying this transformation are also being renewed.

In this process, we see that the EU has taken strategic steps within the scope of the European Green Deal and the digital transformation, especially after 2019, and is implementing many new legal regulations and we also see that the European economy and policies are rapidly being renewed with different dimensions from strategic autonomy in raw materials to support of chip production, from cyber security to the carbon regulation mechanism at the border. It is critical for Turkey to adapt to this change and transformation in the EU, to which Turkey is a candidate, has a Customs Union relationship and is the largest export market and source of foreign investment. As we celebrate the 9 May this year, we must evaluate where Europe is heading and Turkey's position in this change very accurately.

After the upcoming critical elections, the government and Parliament that will govern Turkey for the next five years will be determined. One of the most important priorities of the government to be established in this new period should be relations with the EU. While maintaining the goal of full membership, it should also be aimed to rapidly develop relations in areas such as updating the Customs Union, ensuring visa liberalization, compliance with the European Green Deal, cooperation in renewable energy, global gateway initiative, transportation networks, resilience of supply chains and digital infrastructure. The revitalization of the EU process will also have a significant impact in terms of Turkey's recovery from the economic crisis it is in, the recovery of the region after the earthquake, the development of exports by focusing on high-value-added and high-tech products, and the continuation of attracting international investment.

As the global system changes, the EU, as the main organization of Europe, is struggling to respond to new challenges and renew itself. It aims to fulfil the requirements of the 21st century and to take the lead in global competition. In this process, Turkey's preparation and adaptation to developments and changes in the EU should be the top priority as a candidate country, Customs Union partner, and trade and investment partner.”