Türkiye-EU High Level Economic Dialogue

In the Türkiye-EU Summit of 29 November, it was agreed to establish a High-Level Economic Dialogue (HLED) mechanism, which will contribute to the further enhancement of economic relations and create a business platform between Türkiye and the EU. In this regard, the HLED is held in two main sessions: The first part of the meeting takes place as a Business Summit, where officials from the Commission and Turkish Government, and representatives of major Turkish and European businesses come together and focus on how to create a better business environment and deepen bilateral trade and investment links. This is followed by ministerial-level official dialogue that focuses on the macroeconomic outlook of the EU and Turkish economies and the need for an ambitious reform agenda and cooperation.  Representatives from European-based international financial institutions are also invited to both sessions of the HLED.

Türkiye-EU High Level Economic Dialogue on 25-26 April 2016

The first meetings of the HELD were held on 25-26 April 2016 in Istanbul and Ankara, respectively.

The HLED was co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Şimşek and Vice President of the European Commission Jyrki Katainen. The EU delegation included Commissioners Pierre Moscovici (Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs), Johannes Hahn (Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations), and Karmenu Vella (Environment, Maritime Affairs, and Fisheries); the Turkish delegation included Ministers Volkan Bozkır (EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator), Mustafa Elitaş (Economy), Bülent Tüfenkci (Customs and Trade), Cevdet Yılmaz (Development).

The first day of the meeting took place as a Business Summit in İstanbul, where officials from the Commission and Turkish Government, and representatives of major Turkish and European businesses as well as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) came together and focused on how to create a better business environment and deepen bilateral trade and investment links.

The second day of the HLED was held in Ankara on 26 April 2016. The Dialogue offered the opportunity for a substantial bilateral economic debate on the outlook of the EU and Turkish economies and the need for an ambitious reform agenda which resulted in an improved understanding of each other's policy priorities and increased opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation between Türkiye and the EU.

At the end of the HLED meeting, a joint press communique was adopted after the joint press conference.

Türkiye-EU High Level Economic Dialogue on 8 December 2017

The second High-level Economic Dialogue (HLED) between the EU and Türkiye was held in Brussels on 8 December 2017.

Türkiye's Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Şimşek and European Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen co-chaired the HLED. The EU delegation included Commissioner Pierre Moscovici (Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs) and Commissioner Malmström (Trade). The Turkish delegation included Minister Nihat Zeybekci (Economy) and Minister Bülent Tüfenkçi (Customs and Trade).

The HLED consisted of the EU-Türkiye Business Dialogue, when Ministers of the Government of Türkiye in charge of economic policy-making and their counterparts from the European Commission gathered with major Turkish ( TOBB, TÜSİAD, TİM, TESK, DEİK, MÜSİAD, YASED, TÜRKONFED, TİSK, KAGİDER, İKV, TEPAV ve Koç Holding-Ford Otosan) and European business community representatives and International Financial Institutions (Eurochambers, Business Europe, European Services Forum, Glaxo Smith Kline ve SEE Telecom ) to discuss mutual economic relations.

Representatives from European-based international financial institutions (EIB, EBRD, CEB) attended both sessions of the HLED.

The HLED kicked off with the EU-Türkiye Business Dialogue on the morning of 8 December 2017 and ended with government-to-government discussions in the afternoon. In the Business Dialogue, Ministers of the Government of Türkiye in charge of economic policy-making and their counterparts from the European Commission gathered with major Turkish and European business community representatives and International Financial Institutions to discuss proliferating mutual economic relations and cooperation as well as the business environment. Within the framework of Ministerial Dialogue, the discussion focused on the outlook for the EU and Turkish economies and structural reforms.

At the end of the HLED meetings, a joint press communique was adopted.

Türkiye-EU High Level Economic Dialogue on 28 February 2019

The High-Level Economic Dialogue (HLED) between Türkiye and European Union convened on February 28, 2019, in Istanbul for its third meeting. The meeting was co-chaired by the Treasury and Finance Minister Dr. Berat Albayrak and Vice President of the European Commission Jyrki Katainen. The EU delegation included Commissioner Bulc (Transport) and representatives from departments of Trade and Enlargement; the Turkish delegation included Minister Mehmet Cahit Turhan (Transport and Infrastructure) and Minister Ruhsar Pekcan (Trade) and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı.

The Türkiye-EU Business Dialogue brought together TOBB, TÜSİAD, TİM, TESK, DEİK, MÜSİAD, YASED, TİSK, KAGİDER and İKV from Türkiye with European business community representatives and International Financial Institutions, including the European Investment Bank, the Council of Europe Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.The HLED kicked off with the EU-Türkiye Business Dialogue in the morning of 28 February 2019 December 2017 and ended with government-to-government discussions in the afternoon.

In the Business Dialogue, the Turkish and the EU side discussed proliferating mutual economic relations and cooperation as well as the business environment. Within the framework of Ministerial Dialogue, the discussions focused on the outlook for the EU and Turkish economies and structural reforms.

At the end of the HLED meetings, a joint press communique was adopted.