Trade Minister Pekcan said, “We are following the Brexit process breathlessly, minute by minute, to put into effect our free trade agreement with the UK. Our goal is to sign the agreement as soon as possible.”
According to the written statement made by the Ministry of Trade, the 19th Advisory Board Meeting of the Ministry was held under the chairmanship of Minister Ruhsar Pekcan, using the video conferencing method.
Chairman of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) Rifat Hisarciklioglu, Chairman of the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK) Bendevi Palandoken, Chairman of Turkey Exporters’ Assembly (TIM) Ismail Gulle, Chairman of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) Nail Olpak, Chairman of the Independent Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (MUSIAD) Abdurrahman Kaan, Chairman of the International Investors Association (YASED) Aysem Sargin, Chairman of Turkish Contractors Association (TMB) Mithat Yenigun joined the meeting.
In her speech at the meeting, Pekcan stated that they held the last meeting of the Advisory Board in 2020 and expressed that they would like to hold these meetings with the same frequency and with much better results in the next period.
Pekcan thanked the participating NGO presidents for their contributions and continued as follows:
“I see that our Advisory Board contributes to the coordination between your organizations and our Ministry, as well as encouraging synergy and cooperation between your organizations and I am pleased with this. This synergy is extremely important in terms of our country’s unity and achievement of its goals. As the ministry, we listen to you and benefit from your contributions and even share your suggestions and requests with our other line ministries. Therefore, in the upcoming period, I will be very pleased to receive your suggestions regarding the functioning of our Advisory Board and the agenda.”
“Support applications will be received via e-Devlet”
Pekcan reminded that the decision on support for tradesmen and craftsmen announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was published on December 23, and the communiqué setting out the implementation procedures and principles regarding the decision was published in the Official Gazette on December 24. She said that support applications will be received via e-Devlet in the first week of January at the latest.
“We are following the Brexit process breathlessly”
Pointing out that they are following the Brexit process closely, Pekcan said, “With the completion of the negotiations between the EU and the UK, we are following this process almost breathlessly, minute by minute, hour by hour so that we can put our free trade agreement into effect.”
Explaining that they had many high-level contacts and technical meetings on the subject, Pekcan said:
“Our own draft agreement is ready for signature. It has been declared that a compromise has been reached between the UK and the EU in principle. Of course, we could not sign a free trade agreement with the UK before the agreement (EU-UK) due to our obligations with the EU. We are following the developments, however, for the free trade agreement to enter into force at the same time with both the EU and UK, we are continuing our work in sync with both parties. Our aim is to sign this agreement as soon as possible. Our draft agreement is ready. Only the EU needs to ask for opinions of its European Union Parliament and 27 countries. How can we accelerate that process, we are negotiating with both the EU and the UK and continue our work on it. Actually, we are ready.”
Pekcan stated that the first export train to China has been completed, and they expect these trips to be made regularly from now on. Development of bilateral trade with Far Asia, increasing the efficiency of the Belt and Road initiative, the work on logistics infrastructure and the steps to be taken are important for both increasing Turkey’s competitiveness and in terms of increasing transportation with alternative modes of transport.
Referring to the work of the Ministry’s Foreign Logistics Centers, Pekcan stated that these studies should be evaluated together with the e-commerce vision.
In this context, Pekcan pointed out that they would be pleased to receive opinions and project proposals on logistics and e-commerce infrastructure from NGOs throughout 2021, and even stated that they expect such studies and projects from the private sector.
“Our priority is to expand the exporter base and reduce the differences between provinces”
Pekcan emphasized that their other priority is to expand the export base and reduce the export differences between regions and provinces.
Explaining that they are continuing and will continue to expand exports to both SMEs and small businesses and cooperatives, Pekcan reminded that they initiated the “First Step to Export in 81 Provinces” Program.
Pekcan stated that she thinks that the program will be very successful and have impressive results in bringing new members to the export family, “Because we will provide one-on-one mentoring service to these potential companies for 6 months. In order to expand our exporter and entrepreneur base, our training and technical support activities for our enterprises, entrepreneur and entrepreneur candidates, tradesmen-craftsmen, cooperatives, and citizens will continue with the same activity.”
Pekcan noted that as the Ministry, they will continue to work to further increase efficiency in foreign trade, domestic trade, and custom processes.
Source: AA / Translated by Bazaar Times Team