TOBB CHAIRMAN HİSARCIKLIOĞLU:

“AS THE BUSINESS WORLD, OUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE EU IS BASED UPON A WIN-WIN PERCEPTION”

At IKV’s 50^th anniversary ceremony held on the 9^th May 2015 in Istanbul, in his speech delivered on behalf of IKV’s Founders and Trustee Organizations, TOBB Chairman M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that as the Turkish business world, their perspective on the EU is based upon a win-win perception.

Stressing that democracy and citizens will gain with Turkey’s EU membership, TOBB Chairman M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu explained the following: “The young population and women will gain; employees will gain; craftsmen will gain; farmers will gain. In other words, all segments of the society will gain. Likewise, the EU will also gain. With Turkey’s membership, the EU will become economically and politically more powerful and dynamic.  By this means, the EU will ensure greater regional and global stability; world peace will gain”.

Reminding that IKV was established with this vision 50 years ago by the business community, TOBB Chairman Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that IKV embraced this vision and contributed to its developments.

“THE EU MEMBERSHIP PROCESS REQUIRES COMPREHENSIVE REFORMS”

In his speech delivered on behalf of IKV’s founders and trustee organizations, TOBB Chairman M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu gave this following statement: “The EU membership process requires comprehensive reforms.  In the previous period, with the leadership of our President, Turkey has made significant steps in this field.  Important reforms have been achieved to enable Turkey in fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria. Reforms were conducted to ensure the rule of law, the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms as well as the functioning of a market economy”.

“Today, while many EU Member States are unable to comply with the Maastricht criteria, we fulfil to a large extent the criteria as a result of our comprehensive reforms carried out in the economic field. Nevertheless, it is without doubt that still important reforms in economic and political areas need to be implemented.  It is difficult to conduct reforms since it needs the large support and consensus of the public. In order to ensure this consensus, under the umbrella of IKV, a large number of joint events in Turkey and abroad with the aim of bringing together professional associations from various segments of society, trade union confederations and civil society organisations have been organized. Our President has also attended these events in the past”.

“We will pursue our efforts also in the future. Thursday, in Brussels, together with the chairman of EUROCHAMBRES, I met with the European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn. I explained him Turkey’s expectations in regard to Turkey’s EU negotiations process”.

“THE VISA LIBERALISATION DIALOGUE SHOULD BE COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”

TOBB Chairman M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu called for the opening as soon as possible of the chapters on Energy, Economic and Monetary Policy, Judiciary and Fundamental Rights as well as on Justice, Freedom and Security. Furthermore, TOBB Chairman Hisarcıklıoğlu stressed that the opening of the following chapters would be beneficial for both Turkey and the EU. Furthermore, TOBB Chairman Hisarcıklıoğlu also stressed the following:  “We have a visa problem. We should complete the visa liberalisation dialogue as soon as possible”.

“THE MODERNISATION OF THE CUSTOMS UNION IS IN OUR AGENDA”

TOBB Chairman Hisarcıklıoğlu also pointed out that “The modernisation of the Customs Union is in our agenda. Our Prime Minister explained the latest developments in regard to this issue at the TOBB General Assembly held on the 2^nd May 2015. We are waiting for the negotiations to start in this area in a very short time. I would like to thank our Government for their decisive approach in that respect”.

“AS ALWAYS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE FOR TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP”

On the other hand, TOBB Chairman M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out to the importance for Turkey not to be left out of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations which are being conducted between the EU and the USA. In this respect, TOBB Chairman Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized the following: “We should work together in all of these topics. The new Parliament which will be formed after the general elections should focus on the EU accession process. The necessary reforms should be completed rapidly and with the participation and consensus of all parties. We should succeed in this endeavour for ourselves, regardless of the visionless, unjustified and unacceptable attitudes of some of the leaders of EU Member States. I believe that we will succeed. As always, we will continue to strive for Turkey’s EU membership”.