IKV organised a meeting entitled “Turkey’s EU Agenda: Effects Upon the Business World of a Modernised Customs Union” hosted by Ankara Chamber of Industry on 24 April 2017.

In his speech, Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO) Chairman Nurettin Özdebir indicated that the modernisation of the Customs Union agreement would create new opportunities and help Turkish industry in gaining a more competitive structure in the long term.

Furthermore, noting that the EU market has the capacity to increase the productivity of companies in Turkey and enhancing economic productivity and efficiency in the long term, Özdebir also underscored that trade between Turkey and the EU not only grants financial gains to Turkish companies as well as competitive advantage. As such, Özdebir indicated the following: “Analyses in this area is showing that Turkish companies which have realised exports to the EU market are gaining total factor effectiveness by 7.4% in the first year, 8.1% in the second year and 9.7% in the third year respectively. From the perspective of average costs, it has been estimated that within the three years of exports to the EU, the effect has increased by 1.3%, 3.5% and 3.8% respectively. Therefore, one can say that exporting towards the EU market is increasing company productivity within Turkey and is strengthening the productivity and efficiency of the Turkish economy in the long term”.

In a panel moderated by IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas, ATAUM Director Sanem Baykal realised a presentation entitled “The Modernisation of the Customs Union and its Effects Upon Turkey-EU Relations”; TEPAV G20 Studies Centre Director Sait Akman assessed the latest developments in the modernisation process of the Customs Union in a presentation entitled “Current Status and Expectations Regarding the Modernisation Process of the Customs Union”; IKV Strategy and Business Development Director Gökhan Kilit assessed the latest developments in the agricultural sector in a presentation entitled “The Modernisation of the Customs Union and its Effects Upon the Agricultural Sector” and IKV Research Director Çisel İleri revealed information on EU funds in a presentation entitled “How Can the Business World Benefit from EU Funds and Programmes?”. Following the panel, IKV publications were distributed to the participants.