Roundtable Meeting on Corporate Sustainability and Human Rights in Türkiye–EU Trade Relations Held

A roundtable meeting was held in Ankara on 27 October 2026 under the pilot programme entitled “The European Green Deal and EU–Türkiye Trade: Corporate Sustainability Regulations and Human Rights Impacts in Türkiye”, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and implemented by the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) in partnership with the Directorate for EU Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye.

The European Union’s regulations on human rights and environmental due diligence, as well as sustainability reporting, bring new responsibilities and preparedness requirements for public institutions and businesses in Türkiye. Against this background, the meeting addressed how Türkiye can maintain its competitiveness in European value chains, with a particular focus on strengthening the capacity and mechanisms of public institutions to support businesses in complying with these regulations.

Organised in cooperation between the Directorate for EU Affairs and RWI, the meeting brought together representatives of relevant public institutions and stakeholders to discuss the links between responsible business conduct, competitiveness and the green transition, with a particular emphasis on the social dimension of sustainability and human rights.

The discussions covered recent EU regulations on corporate sustainability, providing an opportunity to exchange views on the ongoing work, preparations and experiences of public institutions in Türkiye. Participants also explored potential areas for cooperation to support businesses in adapting to the new requirements and to strengthen the institutional and technical capacities of public authorities.

Highlighting the importance of human rights within the corporate sustainability agenda, the meeting contributed to ongoing efforts to foster more responsible, resilient and competitive supply chains between Türkiye and the EU.