European Commission Director-General for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Geert Jan Koopman said that Turkey is a determining factor in promoting regional stability and connectivity.
Koopman spoke at the EU-Turkey Summit, jointly organized in Brussels by the External Economic Relations Council (DEİK) and the European Business Summit (EBS).
The Director General emphasized that Turkey and the EU are in the same geographical region and their economies are closely interconnected, and also noted that historical ties between the parties play an important role.
According to him, Turkey is also an EU candidate country, a NATO member and one of the EU’s key partners in most areas of trade and mutual interests.
Noting that Turkey is a reliable partner in managing migration and fighting terrorism, Koopman said: “Turkey is a determining factor contributing to regional stability. At the same time, it is a key contributor to regional connectivity.”
Turkey, due to its position, is a key country
Koopman said that due to its position, Turkey is a key country in various issues, such as Russia’s war against Ukraine, establishing lasting peace in the South Caucasus, etc.
He noted that the EU and Turkey have common interests in enlargement. cooperation, and emphasized the importance of dialogue.
Koopman said that the potential for developing dialogue between Turkey and the EU is much greater, and drew attention to the need to achieve progress, especially in the area of economic partnership.
Turkey is an integral part of the European concept
The politician emphasized that work on the Customs Union Agreement remains important: “If constructive interaction continues and we see progress in resuming negotiations on the Cyprus issue, then work on The modernization of the customs union will also resume. This will certainly help unlock the full potential of the EU-Turkey relationship.”
Specially highlighting the importance of the visa issue from the business world’s point of view, the CEO added that the recent decision to introduce a tiered visa system offers more favorable conditions for issuing multiple-entry visas with long validity to travelers.
On the other hand, Koopman noted that the business world attaches great importance to the issues of predictability and reliability, and emphasized the importance maintaining the highest democratic standards in Turkey.
“Europe is not only a political project. It is a vision of living together, sharing prosperity and peace. Turkey, with its historical past and dynamism, is an integral part of this vision,” he said.