'Turkey-EU Customs Union update a plus for both sides'

By Gokhan Kurtaran

DUBLIN, Ireland

An updated Customs Union agreement between Turkey and the EU would benefit both sides, Turkey’s economy minister said Tuesday.

“The Customs Union right now contains only industrial products. When the Customs Union is extended to include food, agriculture, electronics, and public procurements, it will put Turkey in a position to provide net contributions to the total growth of the European Union,” Nihat Zeybekci told a Turkish Day event in Dublin, Ireland, held by Turkey’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) and Enterprise Ireland.

Zeybekci also stressed that both sides agree on extending the deal’s scope, including Turkey in the EU’s Customs Union decision-making mechanisms, and making Turkey automatically a party in free trade agreements the EU signs with third countries.

Zeybekci said the European Council is expected to make a decision on these points by June and the update could be completed by early 2018.

Also pointing to the need to boost economic and trade ties between Turkey and Ireland, Zeybekci signaled that an Irish Day could be held in Turkey this fall.

Also addressing the event, Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan said they can understand the effect of last year’s coup attempt against Turkey’s democracy, mentioning Ireland’s swift stance against the coup.

Flanagan also said he admired the way Turkey created a modern, lively economy.

On Tuesday Zeybekci also met with Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Ireland’s minister of jobs, enterprise and innovation.

The Turkish government holds the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) responsible for the defeated July 2016 coup attempt, which martyred 249 people and injured thousands, as well as for a long-running effort to infiltrate and undermine Turkey's democratic government.