Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
“The European Union will open its vast economy to countries waiting to join its ranks, provided they agree to stand with the bloc against hostile states and industrial rivals, according to a draft European Commission proposal obtained by POLITICO.”
Montenegro announced that citizens of Turkey, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Belarus will be subject to a new visa requirement as part of the country's accession with the European Union (EU).
Australia has joined the Global Initiative on Information Integrity on Climate Change (GIIICC), a landmark effort to combat climate disinformation now backed by 27 countries and the European Union, while Turkey — which will host the COP31 climate summit in November — has yet to declare its position. Turkey in Depth has learned that Turkey is expected to appoint Professor Mehmet Emin Birpınar as spokesperson for COP31.
Turkey wants the modernization of its Customs Union with the European Union — off the agenda for years — to be part of the equation as diplomatic traffic on the Cyprus issue accelerates, more than three European diplomats confirmed to Turkey in Depth.
Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat led a high-stakes diplomatic mission in Brussels on July 16-17 to secure Turkey's inclusion in the European Union’s upcoming 'Made in Europe' framework.
In a July 2 joint statement with the European Union following the High-Level Economic Dialogue, Turkey agreed that EU-Turkey relations “should continue to be guided by values, such as respect for the rule of law, fundamental rights, democracy and media freedom.”
Although NATO remains the cornerstone of Turkey’s security architecture and the European Union still accounts for roughly half of its foreign trade, Ankara’s relationship with Beijing has become increasingly complex, strategic, and — in many respects — inevitable.
The European Union will begin implementing a ban on the destruction of unsold clothing as of July 19, 2026, and the Turkish textile sector, due to its geographic proximity and flexible production capabilities, expects the ban could be beneficial.
The European Union has requested full access to Turkey’s public procurement market as a condition for including Turkish goods under the 'Made in Europe' initiative.
The free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and India has reopened an old wound in Turkey–EU relations, once again exposing the long-standing impasse over trade integration with Ankara.
The European Union’s push to conclude free trade agreements (FTAs) is reshaping the economic landscape around its periphery. Chief among these is the long-negotiated EU–Mercosur Trade Agreement, alongside accelerating talks with India. While these agreements are formally bilateral between the EU and third parties, their implications extend well beyond signatories. For Turkey, which is bound to the EU through a customs union covering industrial goods, these deals carry direct consequences—despite Ankara not being a negotiating party.
South Cyprus is seeking large-scale military support from both the United States and the European Union, while expanding defense cooperation with Israel, in a move raising concerns in Ankara and Northern Cyprus.