IKV and Foreign Economic Relations Council (DEIK) Chairman Ömer Cihad Vardan joined President Erdoğan in his visit to Latvia and Estonia that took place between 22^nd and 24^th October 2014.  Vardan pointed out the importance of Turkish-Latvian relations during the Turkey-Latvia Business Council.

During the Turkey-Latvia Business Council, IKV Chairman Vardan stressed that the bilateral relations, which had started in 1925 had been strengthened with Latvia’s NATO membership and gained a new dimension with its accession to the European Union. In his speech, he also explained that the two countries shared common interest especially in terms of promotin peace, stability and cooperation in the Eurasian region.

IKV Chairman Vardan also commented on Latvia’s upcoming presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2015. Considering Latvia’s positive approach to EU enlargement and more precisely to Turkey’s membership perspective, IKV Chairman Vardan explained that they were high expectations from this Presidency. He further stated that Latvia is one of the countries who is the most aware of the benefits that will come with Turkey’s EU membership especially in areas such as the security, stability, economic dynamism and energy.

In his speech, Vardan also spoke about three major areas of concerns that will be also on the agenda of Turkey-EU relations during Latvia’s Presidency.  These concerns are about the visa issue, free trade agreements and the ongoing negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

In regard to the visa issue, IKV Chairman stressed the importance to overcome this problem as well as the transport quotas applied to Turkish trucks which go against the principle of the established Customs Union between Turkey and EU.  He also expressed his wish that ongoing dialogue on the liberalisation of visas following the entry in force of the Readmission Agreement will lead in a short span of time to a positive outcome. In this regard, he stressed that the abolition of visas will undoubtedly strengthen trade and economic relations between Turkey and the EU and will moreover strengthen social and cultural integration.

Secondly, he also expressed the importance of updating the Customs Union within the framework of developments regarding EU trade policies as it has been underlined in the last report of the World Bank. It is important that the problem caused from Turkey’s absence in the negotiation process of new generation free trade agreements conducted by the EU will be soon resolved.

Thirdly, IKV Chairman Vardan solicited the support for the integration of Turkey in the ongoing negotiations between the EU and the USA on the TTIP. By reminding the impacts of such an agreement upon Turkey as a trade partner of the EU, the prospect of Turkey’s participation to such an agreement which will draw new guidelines for global trade will undoubtedly strengthen our trade and investment relations and raise them to a more advanced level.