Turkey Urges EU to Revive Stalled Customs Union Modernization Talks
ANKARA, Feb 5 (Reuters) – Turkey is set to urge the European Union to swiftly restart long-stalled negotiations aimed at modernizing their bilateral customs union, a senior Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters on Thursday. The push will come during a visit to Ankara by EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos on Friday.
The 1995 Customs Union agreement, which covers industrial goods and processed agricultural products, is widely viewed as outdated. Ankara has long argued it fails to address contemporary trade in services, digital commerce, and public procurement. Despite periodic calls for an overhaul, substantive discussions have remained frozen for years.
"Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will underline that it is essential for discussions to modernize the customs union to start without further delay," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The visit occurs against a backdrop of tentative diplomatic re-engagement. While Turkey's EU accession process, active since 1999, remains effectively halted over concerns regarding democratic standards and human rights, both sides have recently signaled a desire to bolster economic and security cooperation.
Beyond trade, the agenda is expected to be crowded. Minister Fidan will also call for the landmark 2016 migration deal to be "reshaped on the basis of fair burden-sharing," the source added. That agreement, which saw Ankara curb migrant flows to Europe in exchange for EU financial support, is a perennial point of negotiation.
Furthermore, Turkey will seek assurances on the effective implementation of the EU's July decision to ease visa regulations for Turkish businesspeople and students. The move was designed to alleviate a backlog of applications that had strained the bloc's system and fueled frustration in Turkey.
Analysts suggest that modernizing the customs union could provide a tangible, albeit incremental, step forward in EU-Turkey relations, which have been characterized more by strategic necessity than full political alignment in recent years.
Voices from the Ground
"Finally, a concrete agenda item that benefits both economies. Updating this agreement is low-hanging fruit that can build much-needed trust. It's a pragmatic step away from the political stalemate." – Deniz Aydin, Economics Professor at Istanbul University.
"This is just another talking shop. The EU has no real intention of granting Turkey a modern trade deal while accession talks are dead. We're being offered crumbs instead of the membership promised decades ago." – Selim Kara, Political Commentator for the Anatolian Voice.
"The visa facilitation is key for our young professionals and academics. Restoring genuine people-to-people bridges is as important as any trade statistic." – Ebru Yilmaz, Director of a Turkish-European Business Council.
"Let's be clear: the migration deal reshuffling is Ankara leveraging a crisis. Europe's dependence on Turkey for border control gives us a rare strong hand, and we should play it firmly for concessions." – Mehmet Bolat, Security Analyst and former diplomat.
(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Daren Butler and Sharon Singleton)