22.11.2021 İzmir
Speaking at the 40th Turkey-EU Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) meeting, TOBB President and Co-Chair of the Turkey-EU Joint Consultative Committee M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stressed that the Turkish Wing of the JCC sees relations between Turkey and the EU as a roadmap and recipe for the transformation of Turkey's economic, business, social and humanitarian life.
The
40th Turkey-EU Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) meeting was held
in İzmir. The meeting was moderated by M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, TOBB President
and Co-Chair of the Turkey-EU Joint Consultative Committee; TR Deputy Minister
of Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı;
Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Co-Chairman of the
Turkey-EU Joint Consultative Committee Peter Clever, Head of the EU Delegation
to Turkey Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut; and Head of the European Economic
and Social Committee, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations Dimitris
Dimitriadis attended the meeting. Maciej Popowski, Deputy Director General of
European Neighbourhood Policies and Enlargement Negotiations, attended the
meeting via video conference.
M.
Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, TOBB President and Co-Chair of the Turkey-EU Joint
Consultative Committee, stated that the Turkish Wing of the JCC has always been
a strong supporter of Turkey's relations with the EU. Hisarcıklıoğlu explained
that Turkey and EU relations need closer dialogue more than ever. “Since 1995,
the Turkey-EU JCC has managed to come together in good times and difficult
times. Today, we convene once again united to show our support for the
dialogue between Turkey and the EU. The customs union has been the most
important tool in the transformation of the Turkish economy. Accession
negotiations have expanded this further. We have all felt the positive impact
of the accession negotiations in many areas. We had an agenda that allowed us
to think of a common future for both the EU and Turkey. Unfortunately,
relations between Turkey and the EU have stagnated in recent years. On the
other hand, we all know we need each other. It is not possible to continue the
current situation as it is.”
- Need for improved cooperation
Hisarcıklıoğlu
said that co-operation on Syrian refugees is not deep enough to help think of a
common future again as a positive agenda item, and underlined the need to take
co-operation further. Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “In my opinion, the ‘Green Deal’ presented
by President Ursula von der Leyen should be considered as a key to the positive
agenda. We see the modernization of the customs union during the Green Deal as
a step that we now need very much and that will strengthen relations. These two
are connected. This will also help business in both Turkey and the EU. Because
the Green Deal process is a structure that will radically change the agenda of
customs union modernization. In addition, as the EU-JCC, we consider disaster
management as an area of close co-operation. We're starting to see the negative
effects of climate change. This summer's forest fires have badly affected
Turkey, Greece and other Mediterranean countries. Floods in Turkey, Germany and
other EU member states were also a common concern. The earthquake became a
common issue for both Turkey and Greece. This also led to a common solidarity
between the people of both countries.”
- Funds should be increased
Underlining
some of the issues that are key to the positive agenda, TOBB President and
Co-Chair of the Turkey-EU Joint Consultative Committee M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated that Turkey's NGOs have benefited from EU-Turkey financial co-operation
for many years, but the amount of these funds has decreased. Pointing out that
Turkey has to transform its economy in order to adapt to the Green Deal,
circular economy and digitalization, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Therefore, we ask
for your support to increase the amount of such support funds. Visa dialogue
for all Turkish citizens, but especially for the business world, must succeed.
We need your support here, too. As you know, the EU is Turkey's number one
trading partner. Turkey is EU's sixth largest trading partner. Most of our
trade is done by land transportation. Our trade lines to and from the EU face
transit quotas. This negatively affects both costs and delivery times. We still
need your support to resolve this issue. We must re-energize Turkey and the EU
accession process. As Turkey's civil society, we are here to support all kinds
of constructive initiatives. There are many issues on which we can contribute
to this process.”
- Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and
Director for EU Affairs Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı
Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs Ambassador Faruk
Kaymakcı said of Turkey's EU process, “Turkey is not actually moving away, it
is where it used to be, but Turkey is being pushed away because of the actions
of some member states. We definitely want Turkey to be evaluated from a
membership perspective.”
Expressing
their hope to maintain the positive agenda, Kaymakcı said:
“The
positive agenda is something that needs to be worked out. Full membership is an
important perspective. We know that's not going to happen tomorrow. If Turkey
is asked to proceed on a reformist path, and is expected to act within the
Copenhagen criteria, halting the full accession process is a source of
demotivation. Turkey is not actually moving away, it used to be, but Turkey is
being pushed away due to the actions of some member states. We definitely want
Turkey to be evaluated from a membership perspective. But you know the Customs
Union needs to be updated. In today's applications there are asymmetry and
there are points that cause problems in terms of trade. But it is important to
maintain the positive agenda between the EU and Turkey. It's important to have
high-level meetings. Unfortunately, the suspension of our membership process
for political reasons has been a demotivational practice for us.”
- Other speakers
Peter
Clever, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee and Co-Chair of
the Turkey-EU Joint Consultative Committee, said that despite all the
difficulties faced by countries, they have to keep their communication channels
open. Today, two issues need to be focused on, Clever said, “The first is
changes in joint disaster management. We must have the same equipment and
training. And in doing so, we need permission. The other is making the economy green;
it's a necessity for all of us. We are currently acting in the Paris Agreement,
we are happy with it, there is so much we can do together.”
- Landrut praises Turkey for Syrians
refugee response
Ambassador
Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, Head of the EU Delegation to Turkey, expressed his pleasure
to be in İzmir and wished the meeting would prove productive.
Nikolaus
Meyer-Landrut stressed that they all face serious problems as countries, one is
climate change and the other is migration.
“In
terms of climate change, we welcomed Turkey's signing of the Paris Agreement.
We're moving forward with this now. In that sense, I thank the authorities.
Energy, transportation, environment, agriculture and education have been the
basis of our financial agreements to date. Natural disaster issues are also an
important issue, we often encounter various events in this regard. As for
migration, I would like to underline once again that Turkey has been a great host
since the beginning of the Syrian crisis. Currently, 3.7 million Syrian
migrants have been received, according to official records. Various committees
for migrants have been established in Turkey. 4.3 billion euros in aid has
already been provided. It is clear how much work needs to be done in Afghanistan,
it was very important for Turkey to stop irregular migration flows through
Belarus.”
Dimitris
Dimitriadis, Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the European Economic
and Social Committee, and Maciej Popowski, deputy director general of EU Neighbourhood
Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, also spoke online.