The Turkey-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiation process, expected to start after the July 4 elections in the UK, was discussed in London.
In a meeting organized by the European Turkish Brands Association (ATMB), President Vehbi Keleş outlined the private sector’s expectations regarding the negotiations, while Ambassador Osman Koray Ertaş and Trade Counselor Abdurrahman Deniz informed participants about the progress of the process.
The “Turkey-UK FTA Negotiations Information Meeting” was held on Monday evening at Hotel Indigo in central London, attended by nearly 100 distinguished business people from various sectors.
Speaking at the meeting, Turkey’s Ambassador to London, Osman Koray Ertaş, reminded attendees that the FTA negotiations expected to start after the July 4 elections would be a very challenging process. Ertaş expressed hope for rapid progress in the new agreement between Turkey and the UK.
Keleş emphasized that the expectation of the entrepreneurs represented by ATMB is for the Negotiation Process to be concluded quickly and implemented. Keleş noted that there is an increasing expectation for the rapid progress of the new agreement to achieve the goal of branding Turkish products in Europe and abroad, obtaining added value, and increasing contributions to exports. “The update to the new Free Trade Agreement is especially important for companies like ours that operate in both countries. The new agreement will first and foremost increase product diversity and provide new economic added value to the benefits of both countries,” he said.
Abdurrahman Deniz, provided an informative presentation on the new FTA to be negotiated between Turkey and the UK. Deniz shared important information about the relations between the two countries, the UK economy, and how the negotiation process would proceed.
Answering potential questions from the participants, Abdurrahman Deniz noted that FTA processes could sometimes take years. He drew attention to negotiation processes between the UK and some countries that have lasted over 10 years without resolution and expressed hope that the Turkey-UK FTA negotiations would conclude quickly, resulting in an agreement in a short time.