EU gets further away from Turkey: Turkish EU minister

ISTANBUL

Turkish Minister for European Union /EU) and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said on Wednesday that no country have ever waited for 54 years for membership to an international organization, referring to Turkey's lasting EU membership process.

Speaking in the EUROCHAMBRES Economic Forum, being held in Istanbul, Bagis said EU was getting further away from Turkey.

Bagis, reminding that Turkey-EU relations were initiated in the framework of the association regime based on the Ankara Agreement which was signed with the European Economic Community on 12 September 1963 and took effect on 1 December 1964, said "No country has ever waited for 54 years for membership to an international organization. We are aware that it is a political process. But nobody tell us Turkey is not ready for EU membership."

"As a part of the European family, Turkey not only had an influence on the political, economic and socio-cultural developments in the continent but has also been influenced by them," the Turkish minister added.

EUROCHAMBRES Economic Forum

The forum has hosted presidents of 43 member associations of Eurochambres, professional business executives, academicians and think tank representatives in Istanbul.

Organised by Eurochambres in cooperation with the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchangers of Turkey (TOBB), the forum's main theme is "Investing in Growth". 

Other subjects on the agenda include support for new businesses, access to finance, sustainable industry, women's entrepreneurship, green economy, digital services and skills needed in the labor market. 

EUROCHAMBRES is the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

The association is one of the largest business representative organisation in Brussels, representing over 20 million companies through its network of 2000 Chambers of Commerce and Industry.