IKV Chairperson Dr. Ayhan Zeytinoğlu attended the 43rd Türkiye-EU Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) Meeting, hosted by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) on 25–26 June 2026. IKV Chairperson Dr. Ayhan Zeytinoğlu and Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas attended the meeting as guests of TOBB, representing IKV.

The opening speeches were delivered by Co-Chair of the Türkiye-EU JCC and TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay, Head of the EU Delegation to Türkiye Ambassador Aivo Orav, and Member of the European Economic and Social Committee and Co-Chair of the Türkiye-EU Joint Consultative Committee Ioannis Vardakastanis.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs Ambassador Bozay stated that the JCC provided a unique platform, emphasised that engagement and renewed cooperation were more critical than ever in the face of current challenges, and drew attention to the importance of the Customs Union, visa liberalisation, people-to-people contacts and trade.

Head of the EU Delegation to Türkiye Ambassador Orav stated that he was attending the meeting as the representative of the EU, underlined the importance of the JCC in Türkiye-EU relations, and noted that Türkiye was a key partner, a candidate country and a major regional actor for the EU. Expressing the EU’s commitment to supporting civil society in Türkiye, Ambassador Orav said: “Our purpose here is not only to provide support, but also to strengthen dialogue and participation and to contribute to the development of fully inclusive societies.”

Co-Chair of the Türkiye-EU Joint Consultative Committee Vardakastanis pointed out that the EU and Turkish economies were deeply interconnected and stated: “At the same time, our societies are linked by millions of personal, cultural and family ties. We cooperate in the field of trade. We cooperate on migration, energy, transport and regional stability. We share a common neighbourhood and, naturally, face challenges that are not very different from one another. For all these reasons, dialogue is absolutely essential.”

Taking the floor during the opening session, IKV Chairperson Dr. Zeytinoğlu emphasised the role of the European Economic and Social Committee in Türkiye-EU relations and highlighted the importance of its support, particularly regarding the modernisation of the Customs Union and Türkiye’s inclusion within the scope of the “Made in Europe” criterion. During the morning session of the meeting, Assoc. Prof. Nas delivered a presentation on the role of SMEs in the green and digital transitions. In her presentation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nas emphasised the central position of SMEs in both the EU and Turkish economies and noted that adapting to the digital and green transitions was crucial for the sustainability and resilience of SMEs.

The Türkiye-EU Joint Consultative Committee was established to strengthen cooperation between Türkiye and the EU and to institutionalise social and economic dialogue.

Meeting twice a year, the JCC consists of an equal number of members from the European Economic and Social Committee and representatives of Türkiye’s various economic and social interest groups, who are appointed for two-year terms. The JCC’s role is to enhance the level of mutual understanding and exchange of information between Türkiye and the EU and to increase opportunities that benefit both sides. Within this framework, the JCC prepares opinions for submission to the Association Council. These non-binding opinions are adopted by separate majority votes of the members of the Turkish and EU delegations to the JCC.