Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat
Minister of Trade, Republic of Türkiye
Two ministers held a productive video conference today Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, Minister of Trade, Republic of Türkiye, and H.E. Nicolas Forissier, the Delegate Minister for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness of France.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat:
We held a productive video conference today with H.E. Nicolas Forissier, the Delegate Minister for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness of France.
During our meeting with Minister Forissier, we thoroughly reviewed the outcomes of the 8th Term Türkiye–France JETCO Meeting, which we successfully held in Istanbul on 17 February 2026, as well as the accompanying Business Roundtable Meeting with representatives of the private sector.
In addition to our bilateral trade and investment relations, we discussed key issues concerning the EU, including the modernization of the Customs Union, green transformation, the circular and digital economy, and ways to further enhance our existing cooperation, particularly in facilitating visa and work permit procedures for our business communities.
Within this framework, we conveyed our views and assessments regarding the EU’s draft Industrial Accelerator Act. We expressed our satisfaction that, as a result of the constructive dialogue we have conducted with the EU, the draft legislation confirms the legal basis for the “EU origin” requirement to include Türkiye as a Customs Union partner.
We also conveyed our expectations regarding the elimination of uncertainties related to the implementation of the draft with respect to the automotive sector, taking into account Türkiye’s strong integration into the EU automotive value chain and its complementary role.
We reached a mutual understanding with Minister Forissier to elevate the Türkiye–France economic partnership to a higher level within the framework of the “win-win” principle.
France, the second-largest economy of the EU, is one of Türkiye’s most important partners within the EU in terms of both exports and imports. We are pleased to note that bilateral trade volume between Türkiye and France reached a historic high of 24 billion dollars in 2025, and that France’s stock of direct investment in Türkiye has exceeded 8 billion dollars.
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