The following agreements have been replaced by the European Union-Turkey: in today`s world, countries tend to conclude bilateral and regional free trade agreements, given that the World Trade Organization (WTO) has achieved a high level of liberalization, WTO rules are insufficient under current conditions and the multilateral trading system is ineffective to allow better market access. As a result of this trend, there are about 400 free trade agreements that are notified to the WTO. Without prejudice to WTO provisions, the Turkey-EU Customs Union is an important legal basis for Turkish Free Trade Agreements (FTA). Within the framework of the Customs Union, Turkey is orienting its trade policy towards the EU`s common commercial policy. This alignment concerns both autonomous regimes and preferential agreements with third countries. Alongside the EU, Turkey negotiates and excludes free trade agreements with third countries in order to negotiate and conclude free trade agreements. Together with the EU`s Common Customs Tariff, preferential trade regimes are the most important part of trade policy towards third countries. Ankara has played an important role in creating a NATO initiative, known as the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI), to strengthen security cooperation with the Middle East. Through this initiative, Turkey has actively supported the partnership between NATO and the GCC. A year later, in 2005, then Turkish President Abdullah Gül and Abdul Rahman Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Secretary General of the GCC, concluded a framework agreement for economic relations with a view to starting talks on a free trade agreement between Turkey and the GCC in Manama. This page lists the free trade agreements signed by Turkey.
[1] In 1995, Turkey signed a customs union with the European Union for products other than agricultural products and services. Since 2018, the EU has been Turkey`s main trading partner, with 50% of its exports and 36% of its imports. [2] The European Union decided to focus on bilateral trade agreements in 2006 by adopting its new trade strategy “Global Europe” as an instrument for reviving growth. . . .
