The opening meeting of the 2024-2026 period of the Support Project for the EU Information Centres Network in Türkiye, carried out under the umbrella of TOBB, took place on 16-17 January 2025, at TOBB Plaza in İstanbul, hosted by IKV.

The opening speeches of the meeting were delivered by IKV Chairperson Ayhan Zeytinoğlu and the Head of the EU Delegation to Türkiye Ambassador Thomas Hans Ossowski, while the session was moderated by Ramunas Janušauskas, Head of Communication Section of the EU Delegation to Türkiye.

In his speech, Chairperson Zeytinoğlu emphasized the importance of EU Information Centres and noted that efforts to improve Türkiye-EU relations are not only valuable for Türkiye’s future but also for the future of Europe, as well as for peace and prosperity. He highlighted that since the establishment of the EU Information Centres Network in 1996, the geopolitical landscape has undergone fundamental changes. Despite the achievements of European integration, economic slowdowns, financial crises, migration challenges, security threats, and conflicts in and around Europe have created a much more challenging environment.

Chairperson Zeytinoğlu stressed that globalization and the liberal world order are under strain while populism and nationalism are on the rise. Zeytinoğlu pointed out that the unpredictability of the Trump era and radical shifts in both foreign and domestic policies signal a highly chaotic global order in the upcoming period.

He concluded his speech with the following remarks:

“What we need is a deeper and more effective cooperation between Türkiye and the EU. The growing need for European security commitments and the looming trade wars due to increasing U.S. tariffs necessitate greater interaction and coordination between Türkiye and the EU. In this new period, I look forward to working closely with the EU Delegation and Ambassador Ossowski in a strong spirit of cooperation.”

In his speech, the Head of the EU Delegation to Türkiye, Ambassador Ossowski, highlighted the regional and geopolitical significance of Türkiye-EU relations. Ambassador Ossowski described 2025 as a period of opportunity with the European Commission’s new cabinet taking office, emphasizing the need for mutual efforts to seize this opportunity.

Ambassador Ossowski also addressed the issues in the Schengen visa process, noting that after China, Türkiye receives the second-highest number of visas. Ambassador Ossowski also reminded that Türkiye still needs to fulfil six remaining criteria for the completion of the visa liberalization process and stated that efforts are being made to facilitate visa procedures.

The meeting was attended by IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas, IKV Deputy Secretary General M. Gökhan Kilit, Communication Officer of the EU Delegation to Türkiye Selda Düzenli, the TOBB project coordination team and coordinators from the 18 cities where the project is being implemented.