TÜRKONFED President Orhan Turan has been in a series of meetings with Members of the European Parliament and the Permanent Representative of Turkey at the EU. In the meetings carried out online the necessity for a positive agenda regarding the relations between the EU and Turkey, and long term cooperation areas were discussed. Turan who commentated the meetings, stated that continuity of Turkey’s integration process and the modernization of the Customs Union with a focus on sustainable development, are important opportunities to create a positive transformation in relations. Turan also emphasized that Turkey can be the number one solution partner of the EU in the green transformation and digitalization area.
TÜRKONFED President Orhan Turhan Meets Members of the European Parliament!
21 November 2020 / Istanbul – Orhan Turan, President of the Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation (TURKONFED), held a series of meetings with members of the European Parliament (EP) and Turkey's Permanent Representative to the EU. In the online meetings conducted between the dates of November 16-20, EP Member and the President of the Turkish forum of the European Parliament Kris Peeters, Turkey's Permanent Representative to the EU Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay, EP Member and Rapporteur on Turkey, Nacho Sanchez Amor and Member of the EP, and the European Parliament Joint Parliamentary Commission Co-chairman Sergey Lagodinsky exchanged views.
Green agenda and sustainable development were discussed with the Members of the European Parliament
In its contacts with the members of the European Parliament, TURKONFED shared information about Turkey and the work of the European SME Union SMEunited, of which it is a member. It was reminded that updating the Customs Union in line with the Sustainable Development Goals is a common call of the European business world, while maintaining the goal of full membership in Turkey-EU relations. Green agenda and sustainable development were discussed in the meetings, as well as long-term cooperation between Europe and Turkey. It was also emphasized that the transformative impact of the EU integration process with the Turkish business world will be on the well-being, security and strategic interests of both Turkish and the European Union societies.
Business and SMEs were discussed with the Ambassador
In the meeting held with Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay, Turkey’s Permanent Representative to the EU, Bozay discussed the driving force the Turkish business world can provide for compliance with the European Green Agreement, innovation that supports green transformation, and participation in R&D projects.
Bozay emphasized the importance of financing instruments such as Green bonds within the scope of the new growth model and evaluated the added value that Turkey can provide to the opening of ‘strategic autonomy’ in EU supply chains. Turan, president of TURKONFED, also informed Ambassador Bozay about his work at ‘middle income-middle Democracy report’, ‘Business for Goals Platform, ‘Digital Transformation Center’ and SME United. Turan also shared that the business community is ready to contribute to the common agenda in order to move forward on the basis of integration with the EU.
TÜRKONFED President Turan's contacts in Brussels will continue with Alban Maggiar, President of SME United European SME Union, and Veronique Willems, Secretary General.