Turkey and the EU resume high-level economic dialogue after 6 years
On April 3, consultations within the framework of the Turkey-EU High-Level Economic Dialogue (HLED) will resume in Brussels after a six-year hiatus. This was announced by Turkey's Ministry of Finance and Treasury.
The resumption of the dialogue will be an important step in strengthening economic ties and strategic cooperation between Ankara and Brussels. The dialogue was established at the Turkey-EU summit in 2015 with the aim of promoting cooperation between the two sides on economic issues.
Three meetings within the framework of HLED were previously held in 2016, 2017, and 2019. The decision to resume the dialogue was made at the EU Council's General Affairs meeting in December 2024 and was approved at the summit of EU heads of state and government.
The upcoming meeting will involve Turkey's Minister of Finance and Treasury Mehmet Şimşek, European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity Valdis Dombrovskis, and EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi.
The goal of the meeting is to accelerate economic cooperation and expand areas of mutual interest. The event will consist of two main sessions. The first will involve an exchange of views at the ministerial level on macroeconomic prospects, competitiveness, and structural reforms. The second session will gather leaders of major Turkish and European companies, as well as financial institutions, including the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, to discuss expanding investment and trade opportunities.
Mehmet Şimşek emphasized the importance of resuming the dialogue and noted, "As co-chair of the first meeting in 2016, I am pleased to see that this platform has resumed its work." He also confirmed Turkey's commitment to EU membership and highlighted that nearly 42% of Turkey's exports go to EU countries, making Turkey the fifth-largest trading partner of the community.
The minister pointed out the need for an updated trade structure that covers public procurement, services, and agriculture, and called for simplifying the visa process for businesspeople and students, as well as expanding joint projects in third countries.
"With our strengths in defense, energy, agriculture, and manufacturing, we are ready for deeper and more comprehensive cooperation with the EU," the minister added.
