IKV Chairperson Dr. Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas and IKV Research Director Çisel İleri participated in the April Ordinary Assembly Meeting of the Bodrum Chamber of Commerce (BODTO), held on 30 April 2026.

During the meeting, chaired by BODTO Assembly President İlhan Ersan and Vice-President Sinan Cingöz, key topics such as Türkiye–EU relations, the modernisation of the Customs Union, the green transition, digitalisation and the current state of the tourism economy were discussed. In his opening remarks, BODTO Vice-Chairperson of the Board İbrahim Akkaya emphasised that Bodrum is not only a major tourism destination but also an important production and service centre contributing to the Turkish economy. He drew attention to challenges stemming from unplanned growth, infrastructure deficiencies and population pressures, highlighting the importance of collective action for coastal protection, combating illegal construction and ensuring sustainable solutions.

IKV Chairperson Dr. Ayhan Zeytinoğlu underlined that Türkiye’s EU process is critical for its economic transformation, noting that the country has attracted approximately 148 billion dollars in investments to date and that 43% of its exports are directed to EU countries. Addressing the importance of updating the Customs Union, he stated that 66 out of 72 criteria in the visa liberalisation process have been fulfilled and that efforts should be intensified to meet the remaining requirements.

IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas highlighted the EU’s leading role in green transition and digitalisation, emphasising that Türkiye’s alignment with these processes is essential for maintaining competitiveness. Following her remarks, IKV Research Director Çisel İleri delivered a presentation on access to EU funds.