Türkiye’s Minister of Trade, Ömer Bolat, has reiterated the nation’s push for the removal of EU transport quotas, calling the issue a key focus of trade discussions. Speaking at the ‘Transportation Corridors and Transit Transportation in the Turkish Century’ event at TOBB Twin Towers, Bolat underscored Türkiye’s commitment to securing more equitable transportation terms.
Bolat highlighted the importance of the logistics and transportation sectors, especially in light of global disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the February 6 earthquakes. Despite these challenges, Türkiye demonstrated remarkable economic resilience, achieving record-breaking exports of goods and services in 2024.
The trade deficit narrowed to $73.2 billion in the first 11 months of the year, showcasing Türkiye’s robust trade performance. Minister Bolat also noted the country’s significant standing in logistics exports, ranking 11th globally with a 3% market share.
“Our paradise homeland is where all the corridors in the world meet,” Bolat said. “As Türkiye, we are in a key position where every project has to pass through.”
Addressing a major trade bottleneck, Bolat discussed Türkiye’s ongoing negotiations with the EU to lift road transport quotas. The quotas, a longstanding point of contention, are claimed by EU officials to fall outside the scope of the Customs Union and are treated as matters for bilateral agreements with member states.
“We convey our demand for transit quota liberalization and the removal of quotas in every meeting with the EU,” Bolat explained. “They respond by saying this issue should be addressed bilaterally with member states. As the European Commission, they provide positive recommendations to member states. Thus, we persistently continue this dialogue and negotiation process.”
Türkiye aims to strengthen its trade relationship with the EU, setting an ambitious target to increase exports to the bloc by 40% over the next five years. This goal underscores the nation’s commitment to advancing its trade capabilities while addressing critical logistical challenges.
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