The European Union (EU) and Türkiye have removed one of the barriers faced by European exporters related to Türkiye’s TAREKS import control system and agreed on the mutual recognition of trusted trader programs.
According to Report‘s European bureau, European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič announced the development during a briefing in Brussels following the high-level EU-Türkiye Trade Dialogue.
“Türkiye has implemented a number of measures to increase transparency, which should make the use of this system easier for EU exporters,” Šefčovič said.
He added that both sides will continue working together to resolve the remaining technical issues.
In addition, the EU and Türkiye agreed on the mutual recognition of their Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programs, a decision that was published in the EU’s Official Journal.
“Simply put, each side now recognizes the other as a trusted participant in foreign trade. Goods considered secure by both sides will cross borders more quickly,” Šefčovič explained.
He described the agreement as a step forward in ensuring smooth trade flows and strengthening customs cooperation within the framework of the existing EU-Türkiye Customs Union.
Šefčovič noted that trade between the EU and Türkiye reached nearly a record €218 billion in 2025, while trade in services exceeded €40 billion.
Türkiye is the EU’s fifth-largest trading partner, accounting for more than 4% of the EU’s total goods trade. The EU also remains the largest investor in Türkiye, accounting for more than half of the country’s foreign direct investment.
According to the European commissioner, business representatives from both sides supported further deepening economic ties, modernizing the Customs Union, and advancing green and digital transformation initiatives.
For his part, Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat said the parties discussed the implementation of the Customs Union, the removal of existing trade barriers, and expanding cooperation into new areas.
He stressed that three decades of integration between EU and Turkish production chains require closer economic cooperation going forward.
