On the occasion of 9 May Europe Day, which is celebrated throughout May this year with events organised across different parts of the country under the motto “Europe Is 76 Years Old: Shaping the Future Together”, IKV İstanbul EU Information Centre organised a meeting titled “The EU Agenda in the Face of Global Challenges and Türkiye’s Role” on 8 May 2026.

The meeting, presented by IKV İstanbul EU Information Centre Coordinator Mehmet Poyrazlı, opened with speeches delivered by IKV Vice-President of the Board of Directors Prof. Halûk Kabaalioğlu and Head of Political, Press and Information Section of the EU Delegation to Türkiye Maja Urbanska.

IKV Vice-President of the Board of Directors Prof. Kabaalioğlu began his remarks by emphasising that the historical and legal basis of Türkiye-EU relations should be read correctly. Prof. Kabaalioğlu stated that Türkiye’s relationship with European integration cannot be assessed solely through current political debates and that the 1963 Ankara Agreement is an association agreement carrying a membership perspective. Recalling that the Ankara Agreement was drafted in line with the fundamental principles of the Treaty of Rome, Prof. Kabaalioğlu stated that fundamental freedoms such as the free movement of goods, services and workers are also at the centre of the Türkiye-EU association regime. Stating that the Customs Union was completed on 1 January 1996, Prof. Kabaalioğlu emphasised that Türkiye joined the customs union not merely as a trade arrangement, but as one of the final stages on the path towards membership. Drawing attention to the fact that the EU has not fulfilled certain obligations such as the free movement of workers and financial support commitments towards Türkiye, Prof. Kabaalioğlu stated that Türkiye is a country that cannot be left out in terms of European defence, security and integration.

Participating in the meeting via video conference, Head of the Political, Press and Information Section of the EU Delegation to Türkiye, Maja Urbanska, stated that the EU emerged after the Second World War as a project shaped on the basis of peace, cooperation and solidarity. Stating that they were pleased to celebrate Europe Day in Türkiye, Urbanska emphasised that Türkiye continues to be a critical partner for the EU. Urbanska noted that relations between Türkiye and the EU have a strong basis not only at the political level but also in terms of trade, economy and people-to-people contacts, and stated that the EU continues to support projects carried out in different fields in Türkiye. In addition, Urbanska conveyed that solidarity is not merely a theoretical principle for the EU but is also put into practice through concrete actions and noted that Türkiye-EU cooperation has become even more important in the face of global challenges.

Following the opening speeches, the meeting continued with the Main Session. The first speaker of the session, moderated by IKV Deputy Secretary General M. Gökhan Kilit, was Rauf Engin Soysal, Senior Fellow at Institut Montaigne, retired Ambassador, and former Undersecretary of the Ministry of European Union Affairs. Retired Ambassador Soysal drew attention to the aspects of the Schuman Declaration that remain relevant on the occasion of Europe Day. Retired Ambassador Soysal stated that he did not agree with assessments suggesting that Europe is now an outdated project and, on the contrary, noted that the emphasis in the Schuman Declaration on “creative efforts” and “de facto solidarity through concrete achievements” has gained even greater meaning in today’s crisis environment. Expressing that the idea of Europe is not limited to institutional structures, Retired Ambassador Soysal stated that in an international environment where chaos is expanding, Europe should assume a leading role in defending the rules-based international order that is based on the UN Charter and prioritises multilateralism. Retired Ambassador Soysal concluded his remarks by stating that Türkiye should be considered in discussions on Europe’s future not merely as a partner to be consulted when needed, but as part of the process on the basis of common discourse and shared interests.

The second speaker of the Main Session, IPC Director and Sabancı University Faculty Member Prof. Senem Aydın-Düzgit, stated that with the dissolution of the liberal order, the international system is undergoing a transformation in which multilateralism is weakening and short-term, interest-based relations are coming to the fore. Prof. Aydın-Düzgit emphasised that the EU is trying to adapt to this new period through a security-oriented, industry-focused and geoeconomic approach, but that its dependencies on the United States in terms of security and on China in terms of industrial inputs continue. Stating that Türkiye’s strategic importance has increased in this environment, Prof. Aydın-Düzgit noted that, nevertheless, the fact that the EU carries out its transformation largely within its own institutional architecture increases the risk of Türkiye being left outside. In addition, Prof. Aydın-Düzgit emphasised that a more institutional basis for cooperation founded on the rule of law and mutual trust is important in order to make progress in areas such as security, the defence industry, the green transition, alignment with technical standards and public procurement.

The Main Session continued with the speech of Turkish-German University Faculty Member and IPC Senior Scholar Assoc. Prof. Ebru Turhan on transactionalism, institutionalisation and the trust problem in Türkiye-EU relations. Assoc. Prof. Turhan described the current international environment as a “transactional world order” in which short-term interest-based relations, the logic of give-and-take and the weakening of institutional ties come to the fore. In addition, she emphasised that Türkiye and the EU have adapted to this form of relationship in recent years, but that this has produced limited results in areas such as the updating of the Customs Union, cooperation in the field of defence and participation in EU programmes. Assoc. Prof. Turhan stated that Türkiye is seen by the EU as an important partner on short-term issues, but that at the long-term and institutional level it can still be perceived as the “other”. Stating that it is important to discuss Türkiye-EU relations once again in a more open, participatory and sincere manner, Assoc. Prof. Turhan noted that the updating of the Customs Union offers an opportunity to bring not only technical but also normative and political issues back to the table.

The final speaker of the Main Session, IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas emphasised that while the EU is trying to adapt to the rapidly changing global order, it has placed competitiveness, the green transition and digitalisation at the centre of its agenda. Delivering a presentation titled “The EU Competitiveness Agenda and Türkiye-EU Relations”, Assoc. Prof. Nas underlined that the Competitiveness Compass, shaped after the Draghi Report, provides a fundamental roadmap for the EU in terms of closing the innovation gap, decarbonising the economy and reducing strategic dependencies. Assoc. Prof. Nas stated that while the EU is trying to preserve its competitiveness vis-à-vis China and the United States, it is, on the one hand, maintaining its strategic autonomy approach and, on the other hand, turning towards more protectionist policies aimed at keeping industrial production in critical sectors within Europe. In addition, she noted that Türkiye is directly affected by the EU’s new regulations. Noting that the Customs Union is a model designed according to the conditions of an industrial society, Assoc. Prof. Nas emphasised that updating it to cover areas such as the digital economy, green production, data security, e-commerce, sustainability, services and agriculture would bring new dynamism to Türkiye-EU economic relations. Assoc. Prof. Nas also stated that the membership perspective remains the most ideal framework for Türkiye in terms of taking part in the EU’s decision-making processes.

The meeting concluded with a question-and-answer session.