IKV, in cooperation with Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ISO) and within the framework of First Regional Event of IKV Istanbul EU Information Centre organised a seminar entitled “Use of EU Funds by the Business Community and Civil Society Organisations” on 22 April 2016.  The opening remarks of the seminar were ensured by ISO Deputy Secretary General Haktan Akın and IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas.

In his speech, ISO Deputy Secretary General Akın alluded to the importance of events aimed at raising the awareness of EU funds for the business community and civil society organisations. He further thanked the IKV Istanbul EU Information Centre for its important contributions in organising the seminar.

As for IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas, she stressed the fact that the seminar was organised during a period where important developments are happening in Turkey-EU relations and she further reminded that it had been decided on 19 April 2016 to grant to Turkey the first section (187 million euros) of the 3 billion euro financial assistance within the framework of the Turkey-EU Joint Action Plan regarding the refugee crisis. Highlighting the fact that the opening of accession negotiations with the EU in 2005 have led to an economic, social and political transformation within Turkey, IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas explained that IPA funds (Instruments for Pre-Accession Assistance) and the financial burden that Turkey has to shoulder in that respect has decreased.

Furthermore, IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Nas reminded that IPA funds have helped fund and realise a variety of projects in many different areas from training provided to judges and prosecutors to the creation of facilities to treat waste water in various regions of Turkey, from aligning with the EU acquis in the energy area to increase employment opportunities for men and women.  Moreover, she added that within the framework of the 2014-2020 IPA period, she hoped that many more projects can be materialised under a budget of 4.5 billion euros.

Following the opening speeches, in the first panel where the possibility to benefit better from EU funds was discussed, Project Implementation Section Coordinator at the Ministry for EU Affairs Murat Özçelebi, SME National Contact Point at TÜBİTAK Emre Yurttagül, KOSGEB EU Coordination Directorate SME Expert İsmail Erdem, Sabancı University BUSINNOVA Project Manager Abdurrahman Türk and Arçelik A.Ş. R&D Directorate Team Leader Evrim Özgül delivered their presentations respectively.  In the second panel of the seminar where less known EU fund opportunities were discussed, Ministry of Labour and Social Security EU Affairs Section Expert Hülya Tekin, Turkey National Agency Communication Coordinator Rana Kasaoğlu Önder and Turkey National Agency Communication Junior Researcher Nejla Vatansever revealed information regarding the Employment and Social Innovation Programme (EaSI), Erasmus+ and Hoziron 2020 to the participants. Finally, towards the end of the seminar, EU Project Consultant Acar Şensoy briefed the participants regarding the important points to be considered during the preparation of EU projects.