ANKARA

Türkiye is continuing negotiations to expand its goods-based free trade agreement with the UK to include the services sector, while also pursuing free trade talks with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Trade Minister Omer Bolat told Anadolu.

Bolat said Türkiye has made significant progress in trade diplomacy this year to strengthen economic relations and boost mutual trade, focusing on free and preferential trade agreements as part of its Africa and Far Countries strategies.

He said Türkiye–UK free trade agreement talks to amend the current deal continue to move forward, noting positive progress in areas including digital trade, financial and professional services, and investments. The updated pact is expected to enter into force in the second half of 2026.

According to the minister, all sides emphasized coordination through joint committee and mixed commission meetings, while Türkiye held bilateral discussions with numerous countries through official channels and sector representatives.

Bolat said more than 176 meetings were held with ministers from over 100 countries this year, alongside summits with multilateral organizations. Türkiye also conducted Joint Economic Commission (JEC) and Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meetings, as well as high-level trade dialogue with the European Union.

He noted ongoing efforts to update the Türkiye–EU Customs Union to include services and e-commerce.

“The commission agrees with us on this, but the EU Council has yet to authorize the commission to start negotiations due to some nonsensical opposition from a few countries,” he said.

Bolat described the UK as a key trading partner and said the eighth Türkiye–UK JETCO meeting will be held in January. He added that the Trade Ministry will also hold bilateral meetings with members of the EU Commission in Brussels.

“Meanwhile, free trade negotiations with the GCC are still underway — our free trade pacts with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have already entered into effect,” he said.

He added that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will host next year’s Organization of Turkic States summit in Istanbul, and that Türkiye is seeking preferential trade agreements with Developing 8 (D8) members while maintaining its Africa and Far Countries strategy.

Bolat said the US remains Türkiye’s second-largest foreign partner.
“Under US President Donald Trump, the US is pursuing a serious protectionist trade policy with high tariff barriers,” he said.

“We held comprehensive talks in Washington with the trade representative and officials from the US Chamber of Commerce, so a major negotiation spree is underway,” he noted. He added that Türkiye is “trying to maximize exports” while taking import measures against unfair practices in the Asia-Pacific region, where it faces a large trade deficit.

“We are working intensively on anti-dumping, countervailing duty investigations, and anti-subsidy investigations,” he added.